During my first year in university, I would run almost every morning with a friend. We weren’t training for any event, we were just trying to keep in shape.
When I ran, I would always hit a wall. My friend would usually push me to keep going. Often I would run father or faster than I would have on my own.
This is the power of a running mate.
Doing the easy stuff is no big deal and we generally never feel the need for someone else to help or encourage us along the way.
When you are doing something of significance, you need someone to run with. You need someone to talk to, to share these experiences with. The idea of running mate, is a metaphor with practical applications for all areas of our lives.
Having a running mate provides you with:
Encouragement
When you work hard and don’t see the results you were expecting, you can easily face the debilitating force of discouragement. (Tweet this!)
Having someone that understands you and the goals you have allows them to give you genuine encouragement that will brighten your day.
Accountability
When you have a running mate, they know what you are running towards. They know your goals and they know what you are doing to achieve them.
The simple fact that they know, can be a motivator to keep going.
When that’s not enough, the fact they know means they can call you out and keep you accountable.
Perspective
Things don’t always go as planned. It can be hard to take criticism, tough when we stumble, and difficult to see the end of a challenging time.
When you have your nose against the cover of a book it looks huge. As you pull it back you can see how small it is in comparison to the world around you.
A running mate can help you put difficult situations into perceptive compared to the world around you.
Rarely does the worst case scenario happen.
Understanding
Not everyone is running as hard as you are towards their goals. Not everyone is interested in reaching their potential.
But you are!
Having someone that is running at the same pace as you has similar goals, is beneficial because they offer understanding. They know what it’s like and they can feel you, because they have been there.
Being understood allows you to have conversations you might not be able to have with just anyone. It allows you to express your thoughts, emotions and frustrations.
They are also best able to celebrate your victories!
Running mates come in all shapes and sizes, could be co worker, friend, spouse, or any other person in your life moving in the same direction as you are.
As much as someone can be a running mate for you, you also offer these benefits to them as you run along together.
The power of exponential growth is that 1+1 is greater than 2! We are always better off when we share our life with others.
