Sunday, August 22, 2010

Learning...the hard way.


What’s this?! Another blog about an unimpressive meet? Yea, I’m sure you want to read it only slightly more than I feel like writing it. There is only so much to say about a topic that seems to be a reoccurring theme and I’m not a fan of broken records. But being that this blog is a snapshot of my life and there is not much more to my life at this time of year than competitions, it’s hard to ignore the obvious.

It is clear right now that I am not succeeding in the way that I had hoped to. But am I learning? Because if there is something to be gained from having back to back (to back) mediocre meets, not rising to the occasion when the time calls for it, and finishing a season with far less oomph than I started it with, then I want to be sure I am taking the best notes possible. All I have now is the opportunity to grow from my mistakes, to take a look at everything I want to accomplish in the next couple of years and find a way to do better.

I’ve decided that if I can’t have success than I at least want to have growth. And if I am to grow as an athlete, a competitor, and a person, then I better do my best to learn whatever I can from my experiences. It is not possible to just learn from your successes, you also must learn from your failures. I’m pretty sure that’s why they’re there…to teach you something that you haven’t fully grasped yet and that will help you be better for the future. Life is all about lessons. There is really no such thing as peaks without valleys and we would never appreciate our triumphs if we didn’t experience failures along the way.

I’m in the middle of a valley right now in a couple different areas of my life but I am determined to learn so that I will grow. And when I climb my way to the peak (which of course I will!), these experiences will have their proper place in the journey. They most certainly won’t be the end of it.

words of encouragement wouldn't hurt either :)


“God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons we could not learn in any other way. The way we learn those lessons is not to deny the feelings but to find the meanings underlying them.” -Stanley Lindquist

9 comments:

Bianca J said...

I love you. I believe in you. I know you're doing what you should be doing. Why? Because it's an open door. And until there is another door to be opened, just keep walking.

Brianna said...

Love you dahlin'!!!

Unknown said...

You didn't come this far to wallow in mediocrity :) Get your golden swagger back and go jump far!

Anonymous said...

Hummm....??? I'll leave something in your FB inbox.

~YeaYa

Jasmine said...

I love you. And I'm proud of you. Even in times when you are not.
Leave in all in Europe. Everything. Every last ounce of what you worked for, leave it there. Bring your best and God will do the rest.
xxxo

#2 Fan said...

I absolutely love that quote.

Brianna said...

@ glen...hmm. maybe i should put the gold shorts back on?!!

@jasmine...done. if you promise not to ask about anything when i see you. :)

@#2...isn't it fabulous?!!

George Beinhorn said...

68-year-old runner sez when you aren't optimal in the short term, put your eye on the longer rhythms. Take care of them, and the short rhythms will take care of themselves. It's what the Kenyan distance runners do. It's what US 10,000-m recordholder Chris Solinsky does. It's what Arthur Lydiard that, and he's the most successful distance coach ever. Build for the long term. Build the base as high as you can. You'll leap off the top feeling as stronger than your older best.

Rolyat said...

Losing sucks...and if anything sucks worse than losing, it's losing when you know you can do better. But remember why you still do what you do. You don't train and build and destroy your body so people will recognize you in the streets. Its because you are trying to be the best you you can be. You jump because you love it. Yes, you're lucky enough to be getting paid to jump all over the world, but don't make it about rent and stress yourself out. The rent will get paid, God will make a way. He always does. God has been around for a long time and he hasn't failed yet....not once. So keep your head up. You have been doing this for a while and your body knows what to do at this point. Don't think so much. Run Fast. Jump Far. Have Fun.