2006 - March

[marathondan]

This time it was all about Thinking Big. Yes, I can achieve anything I want if I decide that it is to be. I have trouble with this claim, because it is clearly a lie. No matter how ambitious, determined and hard-working I am, I will never win the Men's Singles title at Wimbledon. I will never score the winning goal in the World Cup Final. This verboten area beyond realistic ambition is never addressed.

...

But wasn't the London Marathon in 2002 supposed to sweep all that away?

Yes of course, running a marathon is supposed to prove that the sky's the limit, and that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. To many people, as a marathon runner you are already a high achiever.

I guess running a marathon affirmed the above somewhat for me, with the following caveats:

1. Clearly some things are off limits, as you point out. Run a marathon yes, run a sub 2:30 marathon no. Natural talent plays a part, especially in the more extreme ambitions.

2. Most things are achievable, provided you stick to the relevant laws of reality. E.g. pretty much anyone can run a marathon, provided they put in the training for six months. Pretty much anyone can run a successful business, provided they can raise finance, work 80 hours a week and if necessary get professional help to make up for gaps in their skills. Pretty much anyone can write a novel, provided they write for an hour a day for two years and then find a very patient editor. Etc.

PS - I hope NLP isn't non-linear programming.

PPS - actually, a quick google will tell you what it is. But that would spoil the surprise.