Run Your Race with Endurance and You Will Succeed

When it comes to our journey in life and the trials that we face, we often hear people quote Hebrews 12, in which the apostle Paul states we "must run with endurance the race that is set before us". Friends, take notice of the word "endurance".  Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word endurance as follows, "the ability to do something difficult for a long time, the ability to deal with pain and suffering that continues for a long time, the quality of continuing for a long time". Whatever race we may be running in life, whether it be the journey of losing weight, obtaining an education, or starting a business, we are going to encounter obstacles and set backs on the road to reaching our goals. Success comes with a high price tag, the endurance to keep running the race in the midst of trials and hardships is essential in order to reach the finish line. Suffering is going to be a part of our journey and there are going to be times when we want to throw in the towel and call it quits.  Babe Ruth once said, "You just can't beat the person who never gives up". Helen Keller believed, "we can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough". These legends couldn't have stated it better. If we press on and fight through the hard times, when we want to give up, we will eventually reach the finish line.   While obstacles along our journey are often painful to endure, they are a necessary part of our journey.  Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University professor who became famous for his "last lecture" that he gave to faculty and students as he was battling terminal cancer, profoundly described the obstacles we encounter along our journeys as "brick walls".  He argues that, "The brick walls [in life] are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough". In other words, the obstacles, plateaus, and times of frustration we face on our journeys should not be the points when we quit but instead they should be the defining points when we work harder to find a way over the "brick wall".  Will there be people who quit and give up?  Yes, but they are the "other people" who don't want it badly enough, not you my friend! 

People who are successful in life simply don't give up, they stay focused on their goal and refuse to settle for less. They run their race no matter the costs.  Do you know that Thomas Edison failed over 1,000 times at making his invention of the light bulb? Can you imagine the frustration? His witty response to a reporter who asked him, "How it felt to fail 1,000 times" was that "I have not failed. I just found 1,000 ways that won't work".  Edison is a perfect example of someone who's determination and focus brought him through his journey to achieve amazing things. Through staying focused and remaining determined that you will reach your goal no matter what, you will be able bring down those "brick walls" that you are sure to encounter on your pathway to success.  I assure you, if you refuse to give up and run your race with endurance, you will reach your weight loss goal and you will be incredibly grateful for every obstacle you may have faced along the way. For only at the end of your race can you look back and see that the moments of hardship and frustration that you faced along the way were the defining moments that made you stronger.

Sources:
Hebrews 12
Endurance Definition
 The Last Lecture