“Don’t you realise that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” 1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT
In school, I tried sports, specifically track activities. It didn’t work out. The finish line wasn’t so important to me, so I needed to be more motivated to do all it took to run like I wanted to win.
On the other hand, my mom was an athlete in school, winning several races, and we saw this from the number of medals she displayed at home. What was the difference? Was she stronger than me, or what?
She had a vision of what she wanted, while I didn’t, partly because I was uninterested in it. It’s important to understand that while anyone can do anything, you must also run the race designed for you.
A sprinter will beat a long-distance runner in a sprint. This is because a sprinter has a vision of the path, the prize, and how they’ll get there. They’ve built themselves for that type of race. The marathon runner has a different kind of race.
We can all run to win by building ourselves for our race and having a vision of the end.
How can we set ourselves up for success as we work?
When I start a new project or course, I often look for that one thing that, once done, will set all the other dominoes into motion. And then I do it.
For example, a 30-day challenge in starting a new project forces a time constraint. This means that the project must reach a certain point within 30 days.
Or I tell my wife what I want to start. This way, I become accountable to her because she would ask me about my progress.
I’ve had a track record of not finishing what I started, and I have developed a strong desire to change that narrative. So, at the beginning, the question is always, “How do I set myself up for success with this project?” Whenever I do this for a time-sensitive project, it works. When I don’t, it drags.
Running to win will demand discipline, accountability, personal motivation, and a vision of the future. This is why athletes train, receive backlash from their coaches, push themselves to do work when no one is cheering them on, and keep their eyes on the prize.
As believers called by God to change the world, this must be our method.
“I run to win.”
What do you want to achieve? How do you plan to achieve it? And why do you want to achieve it?
When you have a definite purpose, an inner resolve burns all earlier bridges and just forges ahead. This is what we need in these times. Let’s run to win.
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