Consistency over improvement | Psychology Today

I tried my first half marathon when I was 27 years old. My pace was just over 12 minutes per mile and I was one of the last finishers, but I didn’t care. I finished walking 21.1 miles! I felt like a rock star. After 30 years (and many races of different lengths), this past May I ran the half marathon that I participate in every year. My finishing time was 1:38. Go at your own pace? 12:06/mile. It wasn’t fast at all. But did you know? I’m not late either.

I like to joke that if I keep going like this, maybe I’ll qualify for the Boston Marathon when I’m 80 (by the way, the qualification time for people over 80 is 5 hours and 20 minutes, so that’s a real possibility). Slow, steady, and stubborn, that’s who I am.

The point here is that life is like a marathon, and it’s not about always going faster, getting better, or winning. It’s about showing up, staying present, and enjoying the ride, even if you’re at the back of the pack chatting with other slower people and enjoying the scenery.

Our culture celebrates improvement. We want to be faster, richer, smarter and more. Don’t get me wrong. I am a person who loves excellence in many areas of life. But I think it’s okay to just like something you’re not really good at.

I love running. And I love dancing. And I’m not particularly good at either activity. But if I can keep them and continue to enjoy them without injury, I’m going to count that as a win.

So many things in life, including creative pursuits, hobbies, and self-care routines, all benefit from consistency, whether we get “good” at them or not (although we are the ones who measure “good”). But sadly, I have met people who have given up on what they truly love because they haven’t achieved excellence. I have a client coaching Practice now someone who has given up on a job they love because it falls “below” their level of education or their vision of what a professional in their position should be doing. This broke my heart. He is not satisfied with his new job. The job comes with a fancy title, but boring job description.

Have you ever felt pressured to improve even though you’re happy with where you are? If so, here’s my takeaway. You don’t have to be good at something to be important to you and worth your time and effort. You just have to keep going. Keep showing up. Please continue to enjoy your journey. Because joy is important whether it comes slowly or quickly. And sometimes the tail end of the pack is exactly where you want it to be. Because there is time to enjoy the moments behind.