I accomplished something yesterday that I never thought was possible… until I realized that there is NOTHING we can’t do as long as we can face our fear head on.
In July, I couldn’t run 1/4 of a mile.
I was breathless, my legs hurt, and my mind told me to stop every 100 feet.
But my wife pushed me. She was my inspiration. SHE did it before. She overcame her fear and ran the 1/2 marathon just 6 months before.
I knew that it could be done, but I was scared. I was scared of just doing it.
I wanted to quit… hell, I did quit exactly 4,564,334 times.
But when I faced my fear, I realized that I could overcome all of the petty doubts that I had.
And yesterday, I completed a 13.1 mile race.
At mile 10, my feet felt as if I was stepping on broken glass with each and every step.
But I ran another 3 miles.
I didn’t let my fear take hold of me and trap me in the box that it once did.
This is a ‘marketing’ blog… I get that… but if one OUNCE of inspiration can come from this, then my job was done.
When I began my entrepreneurial quest, I was told ‘you can’t do it’ countless times.
My wife told me one day, ‘Keith, just do it. If it fails, go get another job. But if it works, then you did what you dreamed about for so long.’
Fear set in… and it was bad.
The questions came up in my mind, ‘What if I fail?’
And then it happened… a shift of sorts. Not sure where it came from, but it was an inner voice that said that I was meant for this and to NOT EVER QUIT.
Persevere and prevail.
That’s my code.
Andre Chaperon had this video on his blog this morning.
I thought you might like it too.
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice one Keith, I’m proud of you man.
It’s a great business lesson…
Face your fear, protect yourself from other peoples fears, and take personal responsibility for achieving your dreams and goals.
Matt
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Congrats. I know the feeling..
Still however waiting for the same thing in business
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Well done for completing the race! Hope your legs aren’t too sore today
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Keith, facing and overcoming fears is always quite a feat so congratulations are in order and really thank you for sharing. If I may (as an ex-10k runner 10k and long-distance biker up to 400 miles per week for a while) don’t run, improve your lung and heart capacity instead. I am a PACE fan from Dr. Sears (not practicing right now because of injuries, falling on ice when I go to Montreal… grrr) but really don’t fall into the running myth anymore that you want us to fall into some marketing myths. Amicably!
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Congratulations Keith,
inner voice that said that I was meant for this and to NOT EVER, EVER, EVER QUIT.
thanks for your inspiration
Charles
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Keith:
An amazing accomplishment.
The Value? In the fight against fear,
that’s first place dude.
Congrats-
Plus reminding wife who’s the boss …
Value?…Priceless
Oh-an’ good on her for gettin’ your arse in gear!
Thanks for the share
Alex T.
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As always, you are an inspiration Keith.
I’m so distracted I don’t get much done, the goals shift and morph around and are seldom achieved, the fear is very real. It is good to read that you were able to conquer your fear and it gives me hope, now perhaps it is my turn.
Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for the inspirational reminder and congrats on doing and finishing the marathon.
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Congrats Buddy! 1/2 Marathon! – You will be doing the NYC Marathon in November!
I did the London marathon last year and like you started out not being able to run a step! But like you I did it, feel the fear and do it anyway!
Well done!
Mark
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WHAT IF YOU DON’T TRY?
That is a greater fear that can stay with you for life…..try & if you fail…just pick yourself up & learn from the experience.
Anyway, my heartfelt congratulations Keith…it is a great feeling to have done it…so my hat off to you. Set yourself another target & go get it!
I do run & for all your readers, here’s something….do some excercise that gets you to focus…you’ll find it sharpens up your business focus incredibly.
When running you focus on your breathing, your pace & measurable distances & doing it within target times…everything else it zoned out.
The more you do it…the better you get at the routine
Just like business!
Look forward to hearing about your next endeavour (& that important announcement due out)
Best for all in 2010
Ron
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Awesome Keith, right on.Congratulation!
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nice job bro – thanks for being an inspiration
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FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real………..
Congrats Keith on completing the 1/2 marathon yesterday.
By any chance, did you participate in the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon here in Phoenix? Huge event, THOUSANDS of people.
I was there (didn’t run though) with my kids to greet my wife at the finish line when she successfully completed the 1/2 marathon too….. 2nd time in 3 years.
Congrats again on such a major life accomplishment,
Marv
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Nice job Keith, thanks man.
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Incredible achievement Keith and thanks for sharing that inspirational piece.
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Nice job Keith and terrific message!
I have studied personal development for years and I gained a lot of my inner strength from listening to all the Greats in the industry.
Just a little message of my own; To all you young guys and gals make the most of your youth and your health because you never know what God has in the works for you.
I consider myself extremely lucky to have overcome all my fears when I was young as it gave me the best days of my life. I left a job that most people would kill for to start a business I knew very little about and I ran that business successfully for 18 years. I was also a very successful competitive boxer that supported my family in lifestyle that most will never experience. I pretty much had it all and I really mean I had it all, it was such a great life.
But then when I was at my peak it all came tumbling down. A couple of bad headaches turned into a life sentence but I cannot complain because I am still here even though I was given less than a year to live. A big shout out to the Doc’s at Boston Medical.
I am thankful that I am still here but it cost me everything I had except my family. Which you should all treasure! (Your Families, not mine)
Thanks to the Great Medical System we have in place in this country the big bad insurance company refused to pay for all my surgeries or any expense related to the medical trial that saved my life all because our wonderful government that gladly took nearly 40% of all my earnings when I was bringing in over $50,000 a fight would not approve the medical trial which takes a minimum of 7 years for the FDA to get off their ass. You would not want to know what 6 brain surgeries cost, trust me.
So here I am at 44 chained to my house because of the seizures I have on a weekly basis and over the past two years I have slowly lost my ability to speak which completely puttered out within the last 3 months so now I use a machine to speak for me. I have a permanent hole in my neck which allows me to breathe and I have had 4 back surgeries from laying in those rotten hospital beds for weeks on end. Now I am doing everything I can to make a living working online.
My story may sound really crappy to most but honestly I consider myself extremely lucky. I did have my health for half my life and when I had I used it and I loved it and I would not trade it for anything.
It was because I was not afraid to take chances that I had the opportunity to experience building a business from nothing into a $2,000,000 a year enterprise and it was because I was not afraid to take chances that I had the opportunity to fight some of the top fighters in the world and travel and live the lifestyle that I lived.
My message is the same as Keith’s….Face Your Fears! Don’t wait another second, don’t put it off until tomorrow or next week or next month.
If you have dreams that are just swelling inside you…DON”T WAIT!! Cherish your health, use it to your advantage as much as possible.
You never know you just might have a marathon inside of you just waiting to come out but you will never know unless you expand your vision and explore every possibility in life! If you don’t take every advantage you have right now at this very moment, you could lose it all and never know what hit you until it is just too late.
I,m sorry about the long post! I try to take every chance I can get to touch people in a way that helps them to realize their true potential in life and to ACT on it. We all think we are invincible at times but the fact is we are all equally vulnerable.
That’s all I have,
Howard
PS. My older brother just turned 50 and he ran the Boston Marathon this year in 2 hours 34 minutes which was 3 minutes faster than the year before. He is one of the top 5 masters in the country. In his prime he ran a marathon over in England and his time was 2:13 one of the best in the world at that time. Nike sponsored him for years I think they still do…not sure.
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Keith, congrats!
However, as Chris said the above, marathons can be lethal man, start doing PACE program, it’s a killer!!
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keith, what blog of andre’s did you follow? I follow your religiously and he gets mentioned so often that when I went to look I couldn’t find his personal blog unless you meant the affiliate bully blog? Thanks
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