Pace Yourself
by Sandy Ohlman
“The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue.” ~Napoleon Bonaparte.
I was born to run and I was born to lead. I enjoy both and often find parallels between these two passions. Both in running and in leadership I have found an important key to maintaining excellence in performance. That key is the practice of proper pacing; recognizing how to manage my energy to meet multiple goals.
I love to run and especially love to see how fast I can run. Several years ago I invested in a good treadmill. I enjoy running indoors during Michigan’s icy winters. What I didn’t expect was all the fun I would have with the ability to accurately chart and measure each run. I absolutely loved it! I became distracted with the facts and figures of accomplishment and paid less attention to listening to my body. Further and faster – that’s all I could think of! There were days I pushed too hard and injured myself. It wasn’t all bad, I accomplished far more than I thought possible, but I learned something very important: the value of pacing myself for the sake of endurance.
One of my goals was to see how long I could run at the speed of 10 mph. This was a big deal for me, I’m not a sprinter – I’m a long distance runner and my ultimate goal was to develop my mileage. Any runner will concur; to go the distance requires a disciplined, steady, studied plan of good form and good pacing. Yet with me, I just had to see if I could throw in that 10 mph every once in while. Here’s what I found after years of studying my performance during these runs. As you read these, consider the parallel to your “race” in life and leadership.
1. To run the full distance I had to keep my emotions clean; worry, doubt and bitterness were like weights on my body. My heart rate literally jumped and my performance dropped. Undisciplined emotions are exhausting. “…throw off everything that hinders…” Heb 12:1 NIV
2. To fit in the 10 mph sprints I had to consider the energy required for that speed AND the energy required for recovery from that speed, so that I could continue running. Planned RECOVERY time is critical to endurance. “She considers … [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]…” Pro 31:16 AMP
As you consider your goals and schedule keep in mind that God intends for you to endure and be fruitful into old age. To live such a life will require wisdom. Ask God to train you in this "race". He will teach you to avoid being distracted by the “numbers”; to know when you can sprint and when it’s time to rest. He will empower you to go the distance.
“….let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith…” Heb 12:1&2
(c) 2007 Sandy Ohlman - click here to read Sandy's bio
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