There is always an excuse for not improving, for not trying, for backing off and taking things that bit easier. An excuse is a reason wrapped around a lie. A excuse sounds good; it sounds reasonable but at it's core there is a lie.
There will always be reasons for quitting, real, genuine reasons. Recently I tried my hand at Calligraphy. I wanted to try out the techniques from the first 20 hours so I choose to learn Calligraphy. My goal for this project wasn't to master Calligraphy, only to learn one script that I could use on certificates and cards. At the end of 20 hours I had achieved my goal. I am happy with my progress and have achieved what I set out to do. It's time to quit developing those techniques.
In 1992 Fauja Singh was 81 years old and still farming his land in India when his wife passed away. In the same years one of his daughters also died giving birth to his third grandchild. He fell into depression. To deal with the depression he began to run as a way to deal with it. And then in 1994 a farming accident decapitated his son right before his eyes. All alone in India he decided to migrate to England to be with his other children.
There will always be reasons for quitting, real, genuine reasons. Recently I tried my hand at Calligraphy. I wanted to try out the techniques from the first 20 hours so I choose to learn Calligraphy. My goal for this project wasn't to master Calligraphy, only to learn one script that I could use on certificates and cards. At the end of 20 hours I had achieved my goal. I am happy with my progress and have achieved what I set out to do. It's time to quit developing those techniques.
But then there are the excuses that keep us stuck. They sound good to our ears but they hold us back from being all that we are created to be. They hold us back from achieving what our hearts yearn for. One of my heroes who changed his life and didn't let excuses get in the way is Fauja Singh.
In 1992 Fauja Singh was 81 years old and still farming his land in India when his wife passed away. In the same years one of his daughters also died giving birth to his third grandchild. He fell into depression. To deal with the depression he began to run as a way to deal with it. And then in 1994 a farming accident decapitated his son right before his eyes. All alone in India he decided to migrate to England to be with his other children.
At 89 years of age he took up running seriously and in 2000 Fauja Singh ran his first marathon. He has now run 8 marathons! In 2011, at the age of 100 he ran the Toronto marathon. Age is no excuse for this man.
I don't think I will be running at 100 - I don't think I will be alive at 100. But Fauja Singh inspires me today. There is a fine line between an excuse and a reason and only when I am honest with myself can I tell the difference. For now, I'm not too old to exercise. I'm not too old to be fit and healthy. I'm not too old to look forward to next year's marathon.
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