Aspire to Inspire

What are you doing with your life?  Wow, that was a rather loaded question I admit.  But as it pertains to being an inspiration to others ... how do you measure up?  To me, inspiration is simply defined as directing your life in a way that motivates others to change the course of theirs.  And that comes in many shapes and sizes.

As many of you know, I started this blog to exchange ideas with others runners, but also to encourage and inspire through my actions.  And in many ways, it's what drives me.  We all receive endless comments congratulating us on jobs well done in training and racing ... and those are necessary and motivation in themselves.  But it's the little note out of the blue thanking you for encouragement or inspiration that really hits home the most.  It means you made a difference.

What inspires me?  I couldn't even begin to name them all.  It's my daughter juggling flawless grades and work, but still finding time to run her first half-marathon.  It's my wife getting up almost everyday and training without fail, when "getting up" by itself is an amazing feat.  It's my son almost wading through a list of young life issues, but still managing to be a good father, almost on his own.  And there are many in the blog world as well.  It's a runner who logs seemingly a million miles on a treadmill for charity.  Or another dedicating their running to a sibling that was lost.  And a father who loses almost another person in weight and runs a marathon.  A person who beat cancer.  Another who comes in almost last in every race, but goes out there again and again and again. And a blogger (and Stanford fan) in California who rarely writes about himself, but rather almost always makes it about encouraging other people!

Who are some of the people that inspire you?

Think you don't inspire?  Think no one is watching?  Think again!  It can be the smallest thing that encourages someone to try harder or even begin.  Because just when you think all of your effort is pointless or really not accomplishing anything at all, someone will surprise you with how you made a difference.

I hope I'm an encouragement.  And I hope I inspire you in some small way.  At the end of the day, it's really not a good performance in a race, or running thousands of miles that matter.  It's simply always asking the question ... "Even with all the flaws and mistakes in my life, did I make a positive difference on someone?"  And the next time you are reading my blog, please be encouraged and motivated ... if no other reason than, "If that idiot can do it ... I can too!"
... be great today!