1 Hour

“He doesn’t quit.”

I’m three months into running, and it’s surprising how much I love something I used to hate. With the help of @nikerunning, I do 4-5 guided runs a week. I usually do the talking when training clients, so having a coach in my ear giving me the same type of encouragement and thought-provoking questions has been awesome.

Yesterday’s weather in NYC was atrocious. The rain didn’t stop all day, and it got progressively harder and wetter 😶. I had a decision to make. Do I play it safe and run inside on the treadmill, or do I man up and run outside? Which action would make me proud? What would help me build character?

Within 5 minutes, I stepped into a puddle, and there was no turning back—55 minutes to go. At about the 15-minute mark, @CoachBennett played a rapid-fire question game with me, and one question stood out from the rest that kept me going and re-energized me for the rest of the workout: What is your greatest strength?

I thought back 13 years ago to a conversation I had with @brandonsimmons. I played a lot of pick-up basketball and sometimes with real athletes. He told me someone said something about me, and he didn’t want me to take it the wrong way. “Abel isn’t the best on the court. He’s not the fastest, the strongest, or the smartest, but he doesn’t quit.”

It would’ve been easy to take that as an insult, but I saw it differently. I was recognized as someone who doesn’t quit, and that’s a value and attitude I want to carry throughout life. Life is hard and challenging to see through sometimes, but there’s always a solution hidden in the chaos. “It always seems impossible until it’s done” — Nelson Mandela.

I don’t give up on clients because I know what it feels like to feel defeated and unsupported. I don’t give up on friends because I know what it feels like to feel alone and unwanted. I don’t give up on family because you only get one. I don’t give up on people, but sometimes people give up on me, and that’s life. People come and go, but the memories last.

The point is that you’ll eventually get “there” if you don’t quit. The journey is more enjoyable when you feel supported. I encourage you to find your community and lean on them. Giving up on your pursuits robs you of the potential inside of you, the people who depend on you, and the people you have yet to meet… Keep Going