Quick Out of the Gates

Have you ever had that feeling of starting out fast?  And the reason - there's somewhere you want to get to either because you have. been working hard to achieve an outcome, you are fueled by adrenaline or you just want what you are going through currently to be over.  When this happens, how long are you able to maintain that pace?  Do you finish as strong as you started?
On the run today, I noticed that my pace was unintentionally fast and was not something I had planned or expected.  Of course I felt pleased by this bump up in speed, and thought that I should try to maintain it. Guess what happened....I got slower.  I started to force it, my gait was off, it felt wrong and my pace slowed.  As soon as I noticed this shift I let up on that intention to go faster, and things got right back to where they had been in the first place.
The other thing I noticed was that the distance seemed to go more slowly, pauses were further apart.  I took a wrong turn, and had to take a pause at a traffic light and realized my mistake.  I had been so focused on things that distracting, and it threw me off course.  That pause allowed me to reset and get back on track.
I finished the run not as quickly, but definitely stronger mentally and physically.  Sometimes having a fast pace and moving quickly through a situation is appropriate and is what is required.  But not always.  Sometimes it is the slowing down and noticing that provides us with the biggest benefits and growth as it allows you to be truly present and aware of your surroundings and situation.  Digging deep in moments of discomfort, when you would much rather power through and skim the surface is one of the hardest and yet most satisfying disciplines that we can develop in all areas of our lives.

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