Bragging Rights
So, that thing you're doing...
marathon
half marathon
5k
CrossFit Competition
Tough Mudder
Spartan Race
BattleFrog
GORUCK
why are you doing it?
Oh, you don't have to tell me. Or maybe you do. And that's sort of the point of this.
I was listening to a podcast the other day-- some big race series has come up with yet another set of awards to create an opportunity for a higher level of achievement. So that we can earn even more medals and display them in a fancy display unit (and post them ad nauseam on social media). Actually, I heard a few podcasts on this same topic. Apparently, it's not enough to go and do one race, or even a series of races. Now there are a variety of different challenges of different lengths with different medals.
And as I was listening, I couldn't help but think... "Is this where we are? Are we chasing medals? Are we looking for the newest, most awesome award we can get? Is this about being healthy and the best version of me or is this about bragging rights?"
Don't get me wrong. I love chasing new challenges. And on my best day I'm training and racing to be better than the me I was last year. But on the other days maybe I'm just looking for glory. Just looking for another medal. Just looking to one up the guy next to me.
The problem is, if I'm only doing it for the bling. If I'm only happy when I have one more medal than the next person, then I'm caught in the hamster wheel of dissatisfaction. I'm probably suffering from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). I'm probably spending an unbalanced amount of money and time on races, travel to, etc. I could be ignoring the more important things in life.
And that's the bottom line here. Decide what's most important to you in the long term and chase after it with everything you are. My guess is... that thing isn't a medal or a series of medals. And if you are chasing bling, do it as you're doing the most important things in life.
marathon
half marathon
5k
CrossFit Competition
Tough Mudder
Spartan Race
BattleFrog
GORUCK
why are you doing it?
Oh, you don't have to tell me. Or maybe you do. And that's sort of the point of this.
I was listening to a podcast the other day-- some big race series has come up with yet another set of awards to create an opportunity for a higher level of achievement. So that we can earn even more medals and display them in a fancy display unit (and post them ad nauseam on social media). Actually, I heard a few podcasts on this same topic. Apparently, it's not enough to go and do one race, or even a series of races. Now there are a variety of different challenges of different lengths with different medals.
And as I was listening, I couldn't help but think... "Is this where we are? Are we chasing medals? Are we looking for the newest, most awesome award we can get? Is this about being healthy and the best version of me or is this about bragging rights?"
Don't get me wrong. I love chasing new challenges. And on my best day I'm training and racing to be better than the me I was last year. But on the other days maybe I'm just looking for glory. Just looking for another medal. Just looking to one up the guy next to me.
The problem is, if I'm only doing it for the bling. If I'm only happy when I have one more medal than the next person, then I'm caught in the hamster wheel of dissatisfaction. I'm probably suffering from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). I'm probably spending an unbalanced amount of money and time on races, travel to, etc. I could be ignoring the more important things in life.
Comments
Post a Comment