The Crawl-Curse To Finish Lines
Finish lines nearly always kill me.
I remember running long distances with my dad. The last half mile was especially brutal. Our street, called Shadow Knolls for a reason, was a steep incline reminiscent of San Francisco hills. My dad would sing army songs so that I wouldn’t quit.
“I’m gonna be an air borne ranger, live the life of thrill and danger! Here we go! Here we go!”
Yeah, right.
There are small and large finish lines in life.
Some people struggle with procrastination, yet I seem to have no problem starting things. I prepare my taxes first thing in January. I make lists and get things done. I write daily like a good little soldier. Discipline and routine ground me. Yet when it comes to that last fifty yards, for accomplishments that are significant, that’s when I suddenly want to quit.
To cross the finish line means something.
There is a reason athletes tear up on the podium at the Olympics and we tear up watching them. To cross the finish line is to acknowledge the journey traversed and the lessons learned along the way. It’s important to honor one’s hard work.
To finish we have to dig deep down within for that last spurt of energy. We have to call on that reservoir of power within that we don’t actually think we have. We must realize that we are bigger than we think and worthy of personal investment.
We also have to deal with the responsibility that comes with success and the flack that often accompanies it as well.
All of us have patterns that don’t serve us. Farting around with finish lines is mine. I’m not afraid of hard work. I’m afraid of finishing.
When I finished my masters in psychology I basically told no one and simply went to work the next day. I almost didn’t take my licensing exams because there was so much paperwork to fill out and did I really need the credential? My book is now pretty much done and I have a potential publishing date for Fall 2017. Do I really want it out there? We’re finishing post-audio on my film after hiring a composer to write beautiful music. Do I really want anyone to see this thing? I have three more classes to finish another masters. Yet what is the point? The degree won’t do anything for me.
Resistance always rears its head wanting to sabotage us.
At the end of the road every mishap that can happen, most likely will. This is just to see if we not only have it in us to finish, but if we have it in us to finish with dignity.
Quite frankly, I’d rather act like a four year old diva and have a tantrum or meltdown. Because finish lines suck.
Yet they are significant markers that help shape us.
So suit up, show up, and don’t let up.
It’s important to finish.
Source: Lise’s Letters
The Crawl-Curse To Finish Lines