This post was originally published in 2023
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 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 he ran during the 2019 INEOS exhibition? 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: Eliud’s insatiable drive toward excellence keeps him at the top of the marathon class, even at an age where decline starts. His mental strength is high, which 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 pain on their faces as they fight to finish a run, Eliud flips this natural tendency by committing to smiling down the home stretch. Eluid says smiling while running helps him remain calm and relaxed amid the tension building in his muscles as the race continues. It also helps him maintain efficiency throughout the run.
These traits don’t show up on a metrics dashboard scale. However, they 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’ every day. His example of excellence has set the stage for the next crop of marathon runners. Sometimes, we 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 lousy environment they were in limit or dictate their level of performance. They continuously improve their game and develop their skills, and even on bad teams, players can still become great. Choose to bring your “A” game daily, 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.
Be an inspiration: 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 choose to live above average, we set an example and 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 inspires others.
The choice to live above average inspires 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
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