Strength, Gratitude, and the Quiet Moments That Change Us
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Yesterday, I ran my first half marathon.
But the moment that surprised me wasn’t crossing the finish line.
Was I surprised that I controlled my pace? That I smiled, took in the sights, paced myself, trusted my breathing, and knew my body’s rhythm? No. I had trained for that. I had prepared for that.
The true surprise came minutes after finishing.
While walking through the vendor tents with my family, banana and water bottle in hand, I bent down, hands on my knees — and I started to weep. Quiet, involuntary tears of joy.
That’s when it sank in.
That’s what surprised me.
The culmination of commitment, resilience, and grit overflowed in that silent moment — a reflection of everything I had worked for. I hadn’t rushed the process. I hadn’t forced it. I trusted the small steps that led me here since I first laced up my running shoes in November 2022. Every early morning, every quiet 5K, every small choice that no one saw.
What made this moment powerful wasn’t that I stayed in my target pace or even that I leapt over the finish line.
It was this:
I executed a plan I believed in. I honored the process. And I crossed the finish line with heart.
Leadership is exactly the same.
Most people see the results — the win, the success, the final applause — but they don’t see the countless small, disciplined acts that make it possible.
They don’t see the 4:30 AM alarms, the planning, the patience, the relentless choosing to show up when no one is watching.
But that’s what leadership is.
Not a single moment of glory — a thousand quiet decisions stacked together.
When I lifted myself up from that moment of quiet tears, I realized how deeply this run mirrored leadership itself. And I found myself reflecting on three questions:
1. What am I most proud of today?
I’m proud that I executed the plan I set out to achieve. I trusted the system. I stayed patient. I modulated when needed. I stayed steady under pressure. I performed because I trained to perform.
2. What lessons will I carry forward?
Trust the plan. Believe in the process. Be patient. Adapt when necessary. Agility plus discipline creates unstoppable momentum — not just in races, but in leadership, business, and life.
3. What advice would I give myself a month ago?
You are stronger than you think.
Setbacks are part of growth.
Stay committed. Stay resilient. You have done the work — and when it’s time to perform, you will rise.
In the darkness of those early mornings — hearing only the birds, a distant car, and the soft sweep of my sneakers across the concrete — I would quietly repeat a mantra:
You are strong. You are in control. You are confident. You are a runner. You love who you are.
Mile after mile, I grew stronger.
Mile after mile, I found more control — not just of my pace, but of my mind and my outcomes.
And just like leadership, it wasn’t about perfection — it was about progress.
So whatever your “race” is —
When you hit that goal…
When you celebrate that project completion…
When you stand in the quiet aftermath of achievement…
Take a moment.
Honor the small steps that got you there.
Celebrate the courage it took to lead yourself there.
Because every finish line is just another starting line in disguise.
(Thank you, Nike Coach Chris Bennett, for the reminder.)