Work Ethic

The book I’m reading, “Talent Is Overrated,” makes a lot of sense. It nets out two ideas that produce world-class performance in a number of areas. The ideas are being in the right environment and doing the hard work. For example, if you live in the snow belt and have access to good equipment and coaching and if you work long and hard to improve your performance, you are likely to become a very good skier. If you have enormous talent for skiing but don’t work at it, you won’t.

On the one hand, having no talent for something is one of the biggest excuses I’ve ever heard from people who don’t exercise – “I’m no good at it.” On the other hand, having no talent is one of the greatest reasons there is to work hard at something so you’ll learn to do it reasonably well and enjoy it more than ever.

So I trotted out my work ethic at team practice this evening. I seldom look forward to run workouts because my knee usually starts hurting at some point. Further, I still haven’t lost all the congestion nor regained my breath. But I kept on going – round and round that track like a hamster. When I felt my technique was slipping away, I walked a bit and then got right back to my slow steady little jog. Only once or twice did my knee complain. Maybe there’s something to this work ethic idea.

Training log: Run practice – 3 miles, about 2/3 slow jogging and 1/3 walking.
Motivation log: Accepting the fact that I’m not and will never be a talented athlete and embracing the concept of good, hard work as a way to keep on racing for as many years as I can.