Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.” A. W. Tozer
In a Class All By Himself
Eliud Kipchoge is in a class all by himself. In the 2022 Berlin marathon, he broke his own world record, running 2:01:09. He has won two marathon Olympic gold medals and 15 out of the 18 marathons he has competed in. Who can forget the astonishing time of 1:59:40 that he ran during the INEOS exhibition in 2019? Undoubtedly the best marathoner of all time, Eliud Kipchoge has immeasurable traits that carry him above the other marathoners. Three come to mind:
Outlook: Eliud maintains a positive disposition founded on a decluttered mind. After placing sixth in the Boston Marathon in April, Eliud said,” I can’t win every time……there are three things, yesterday is a canceled check, today is cash, and tomorrow is a promissory note. Let us forget the canceled check and talk about the cash and the promissory note.” A leg injury foiled his attempt to win, but he didn’t quit and did the next best thing; finish.
Mental Strength: Eliuds insatiable drive toward excellence keeps him at the top of the marathon class even at age 38. His mental strength is at a high level and this trickles down to his discipline in his workout regimen. No one maintains a long storied running career without mental strength and Eliud has it.
Smile: While others grimace and show the pain on their faces as they fight to finish a run, Eliud flips this natural tendency by committing to smile down the home stretch. Eluid says smiling while running helped him remain calm and relaxed amid the tension building in his muscles as the race wore on. It also helped maintain efficiency throughout the run.
These traits don’t show up on a metrics dashboard scale, however, carry immense weight when we rank Kipchoge as the best of the best. His above-average living is infectious. People who live above average impact others in two main ways:
Be a role model: People who live above average bring their ‘A’ game every day. They set an example. Eliud is an example setter that setting limitations on life serves to keep us stagnant. His example of excellence has set the stage for the next crop of marathon runners. There are times when we would rate our environment as an “F” but that does not permit us to reduce our attitude and outlook to match our environment. There have been good players on bad teams who have been able to stand out because they didn’t let the bad environment they were in limit or dictate their level of performance. They continuously improved their game and developed their skills and even on bad teams players can still become great. Choose to bring your “A” game every day even in “F” environments. Your “A” game encompasses your attitude (heart and mind) and your work ethic (hands). By setting an example others are inspired.
People who live above average bring their ‘A’ game every day.
Be an inspiration for others: Above-average living shows it is possible to achieve great things, even from humble beginnings. Eliud is the perfect example of this. Kipchoge inspires others to believe that what was once thought impossible is possible. No one thought breaking two hours in a marathon was possible until Eliud did it in 2019. His running doesn’t just break records, it breaks mental barriers in people’s minds. When we chose to live above average we not only set an example but also help others believe what can be done. This is the essence of inspiration. Eluid once said, “When you can inspire people, there is nothing more satisfying than that…..that’s my legacy, that I have been able to inspire many to run and in doing so make change.” How will you inspire those around you? Is it by completing the goal you set out to do? Or maybe, through your consistency, others will see what’s possible.
One thing’s for sure, the choice to live above average has a positive effect on others.
Final thought: Kipchoge has set the standard for long-distance running by doing what others thought was impossible. He exudes an above-average life. In your sphere of influence, being a role model by setting an example and inspiring others will attract others to an above-average life. Now, go and set the standard by living your best life.
Keep on keeping on!
Notes
Discover Your Treasure 