Overcoming Challenges

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they are supposed to help you discover who you are." - Bernice Johnson Reagon

This year's Atlanta Peachtree 10K Roadrace is over and 55,000 runners gave it their all. From highly trained athletes to the casual walker, each one faced and overcame the challenge of completing this 6.1 mile course on a warm July 4th morning.

For me, the challenge was to volunteer for this great event. Even with the training I had taken to run this event again, it was the spirit of volunteering that moved me. The ability to see some great runners finish and the excellent wheelchair athletes were fantastic. And then there were the thousands upon thousands of individual runners I was able to cheer and congratulate at the finish line.

With these challenges behind all of us, a new one comes before me. The Atlanta Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon. A 13.1 mile excursion down Peachtree Street the morning of Thanksgiving ending at the home stadium of the Atlanta Braves. So it will be a big challenge for both myself and my wife.

For each of us, challenges occur not only in the running or sports world, but they occur in our everyday lives. Each day, a new challenge can present itself to us. The idea is to tell ourselves that we can accomplish the task. To overcome the challenge and find new opportunity beyond it.

Are you defeating yourself before the start by not believing in yourself? Or are you starting with the belief that you can overcome anything? Phrases such as 'going the distance' and 'finishing strong' are words that you tell yourself. But you have to believe in them as well.

Believing in oneself is the first major step in overcoming any type of challenge, the rest is just hard work. Overcome your fear of failure, believe in your ability to overcome any challenge in life.
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