Accountability
I had been avoiding blogging for sometime so that I could channel my energy and get some creative writing done for my research paper. And now that it is done, I can finally channel back my energy into doing something I like.
Last Sunday, I watched this documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2ZLG-Fij_4
It is Nat Geo's coverage of Nike's Breaking 2 project. Those who were unassailed by Nike's marketing team and do not know what it was you can read about it here or you can just watch the documentary. (I'd suggest reading, we read less and less nowadays, I don't want you guys to be a part of that zeitgeist).
At the end of the documentary (spoiler), when Eliud Kipchoge sets the world's best time of 2:00:25 beating the previous best of 2:02:57, a crew member is seen telling him "Big big big race you did man. Amazing performance man what you did" to which Kipchoge replies "But we missed it".
The man seems a little bewildered and Kipchoge clarifies "It's called 2 hours".
At that moment, my respect for this man went up 200 times. He ran 42.2 kms faster than anyone has ever done since the dawn of mankind and yet, when it comes to celebrating his achievement his joy is muted by a simple logic. He didn't really achieve what he set out to do.
For us, 2:00:25 is a big achievement. For Eliud, it was a milestone rather than achievement. He got upto 26 seconds behind the magical number "1:59:59". And he didn't do it for the marketing. Nike did. Nike wants to sell shoes, they chose the guy, they applied the science of training and logic. What Eluid really wanted, more than anything else was that time. Not the fame or the glory. But his goal.
In life, we all have goals. We want to be something or someone. As kids, we all have dreams and then we change our perspective and learn about things and if you are Indian, there is enough parental pressure that you started off in life dreaming to be an astronaut and you become an engineer. There are still some residual goals in life, eventually they fade and all that is left is a statement "Life happened, man".
1st of all, that is bullshit. If others are defining your life and telling you what to do and you are sitting there, living others' orders and letting "life happen" to you, you are not serving your purpose in life. All of you have a talent and a purpose in life and by letting others run your life, you are just throwing away your life's purpose.
Above all, your goals are what give your life a purpose. It's always good to celebrate small achievements and post about stuff on social media. But don't let your goals be the endpoint of your achievement. There is always a scope for improvement. If a man with a 2:00:25 Marathon PB has a scope for improvement, then I surely do.
I took a sabbatical from my triathlon career, after doing an 11:55 Ironman. It was a personal best and yes I am happy with what I got. But that's not my goal and I am the one who is accountable for my goal. My goal in life is to come as close as the human limit is for running, swimming and cycling. I want to become as fast as my body and my genetics allow me to. I have an above average running VO2 max and I have the capability to deliver fast times. Gloating in the glory of my past would not get me anywhere. But working hard for future surely will.
That's why I train. That's why, last week I woke up everyday at 4 AM. Prepared lunch. Worked on some office stuff. Worked on my research paper. Went out to train. Came back, got ready and went to the office and worked for 8 hours there. Came back. Did a core workout. Cooked dinner. Worked on the research paper. And slept at 9.
I led a life with 5 hours of sleep for 4 years, trying to train and show up for a job I didn't even like, so that I pay for a life I wanted to live. (Watch it here).
All of us are accountable for our lives and it is upto us to decide what we really want to do with it. If you want something in life, if you want it bad enough, you will find time in life do it.
If your goals really actually mean something to you, you will never ever give up on them. That's the way it is supposed to be. You WILL find a balance in life if you look for it. You will give up drinking or smoking if you want to. You WILL wake up at 5 in the morning if you WANT to. When people tell "I've tried waking up at 5, it's just not possible for me, i don't know how you do it", I really can't relate to the person. You'd wake up till 5 if it was a party or a job or your wedding, right? When it comes to making your life better, it all of a sudden becomes "just not possible"?
I am nobody special. I am just a man who has a goal in life and a purpose and I just want to pay tribute to the gift of life by doing my very best everyday. It makes anti-social person who doesn't party or respond to random messages from random people. And I am fine with that. Because others DO NOT define my image. I do.
Do give it a shot in your life too. It's not easy. It never is. But if greatness was easy, greatness would be very mediocre. So be prepared for the challenge. Be like the man below, who wants to go for his goal and will not stop challenging himself till he gets there. Enjoy your milestones and keep flowing!
Last Sunday, I watched this documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2ZLG-Fij_4
It is Nat Geo's coverage of Nike's Breaking 2 project. Those who were unassailed by Nike's marketing team and do not know what it was you can read about it here or you can just watch the documentary. (I'd suggest reading, we read less and less nowadays, I don't want you guys to be a part of that zeitgeist).
At the end of the documentary (spoiler), when Eliud Kipchoge sets the world's best time of 2:00:25 beating the previous best of 2:02:57, a crew member is seen telling him "Big big big race you did man. Amazing performance man what you did" to which Kipchoge replies "But we missed it".
The man seems a little bewildered and Kipchoge clarifies "It's called 2 hours".
 |
| "A little bit tired". Guess he doesn't think it is not that "easy". |
At that moment, my respect for this man went up 200 times. He ran 42.2 kms faster than anyone has ever done since the dawn of mankind and yet, when it comes to celebrating his achievement his joy is muted by a simple logic. He didn't really achieve what he set out to do.
For us, 2:00:25 is a big achievement. For Eliud, it was a milestone rather than achievement. He got upto 26 seconds behind the magical number "1:59:59". And he didn't do it for the marketing. Nike did. Nike wants to sell shoes, they chose the guy, they applied the science of training and logic. What Eluid really wanted, more than anything else was that time. Not the fame or the glory. But his goal.
In life, we all have goals. We want to be something or someone. As kids, we all have dreams and then we change our perspective and learn about things and if you are Indian, there is enough parental pressure that you started off in life dreaming to be an astronaut and you become an engineer. There are still some residual goals in life, eventually they fade and all that is left is a statement "Life happened, man".
1st of all, that is bullshit. If others are defining your life and telling you what to do and you are sitting there, living others' orders and letting "life happen" to you, you are not serving your purpose in life. All of you have a talent and a purpose in life and by letting others run your life, you are just throwing away your life's purpose.
Above all, your goals are what give your life a purpose. It's always good to celebrate small achievements and post about stuff on social media. But don't let your goals be the endpoint of your achievement. There is always a scope for improvement. If a man with a 2:00:25 Marathon PB has a scope for improvement, then I surely do.
I took a sabbatical from my triathlon career, after doing an 11:55 Ironman. It was a personal best and yes I am happy with what I got. But that's not my goal and I am the one who is accountable for my goal. My goal in life is to come as close as the human limit is for running, swimming and cycling. I want to become as fast as my body and my genetics allow me to. I have an above average running VO2 max and I have the capability to deliver fast times. Gloating in the glory of my past would not get me anywhere. But working hard for future surely will.
That's why I train. That's why, last week I woke up everyday at 4 AM. Prepared lunch. Worked on some office stuff. Worked on my research paper. Went out to train. Came back, got ready and went to the office and worked for 8 hours there. Came back. Did a core workout. Cooked dinner. Worked on the research paper. And slept at 9.
I led a life with 5 hours of sleep for 4 years, trying to train and show up for a job I didn't even like, so that I pay for a life I wanted to live. (Watch it here).
All of us are accountable for our lives and it is upto us to decide what we really want to do with it. If you want something in life, if you want it bad enough, you will find time in life do it.
If your goals really actually mean something to you, you will never ever give up on them. That's the way it is supposed to be. You WILL find a balance in life if you look for it. You will give up drinking or smoking if you want to. You WILL wake up at 5 in the morning if you WANT to. When people tell "I've tried waking up at 5, it's just not possible for me, i don't know how you do it", I really can't relate to the person. You'd wake up till 5 if it was a party or a job or your wedding, right? When it comes to making your life better, it all of a sudden becomes "just not possible"?
I am nobody special. I am just a man who has a goal in life and a purpose and I just want to pay tribute to the gift of life by doing my very best everyday. It makes anti-social person who doesn't party or respond to random messages from random people. And I am fine with that. Because others DO NOT define my image. I do.
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