I've been thinking about my ego a lot lately. I made an attempt to complete the Boston Marathon this year and failed. I had to withdraw at mile 20. In the days following my disappointing experience, I had a lot of well meaning friends ask how I was feeling. I'd tell them the only injury I sustained was a bruise to my ego. It was a deflecting answer, hoping to provide a bit of levity, but it was also honest.
There are a lot of reasons I failed, but the attempt was an ego-boosting attempt from the beginning. I'm not proud of it, and the truths I've found about myself in the failed attempt are embarrassing, but the kind of embarrassment that leads to growth. At least I hope. I've begun to make some changes in outlook and motivations for my goals.
Thanks, Jeff. Thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds like it was meaningful because you lived it and learned from it. Wise reflections though painfully earned. Looking forward to your writing on it soon hopefully.
I’ve been wrestling with this idea quite a bit recently.
In my post a couple days ago I wrote that I keep finding myself experiencing this deja vu, a returning from past moments in my life where I was invited into challenge and yet, ultimately chose the easier and safer path … the one where I knew I could win.
Now, once again, I find myself standing there.
Thinking I’ve been like Commodus in the past is terrifying, even as I feel the temptation to walk that path again.
Hey, Wes. Good stuff, as usual.
I've been thinking about my ego a lot lately. I made an attempt to complete the Boston Marathon this year and failed. I had to withdraw at mile 20. In the days following my disappointing experience, I had a lot of well meaning friends ask how I was feeling. I'd tell them the only injury I sustained was a bruise to my ego. It was a deflecting answer, hoping to provide a bit of levity, but it was also honest.
There are a lot of reasons I failed, but the attempt was an ego-boosting attempt from the beginning. I'm not proud of it, and the truths I've found about myself in the failed attempt are embarrassing, but the kind of embarrassment that leads to growth. At least I hope. I've begun to make some changes in outlook and motivations for my goals.
Thanks, Jeff. Thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds like it was meaningful because you lived it and learned from it. Wise reflections though painfully earned. Looking forward to your writing on it soon hopefully.
I’ve been wrestling with this idea quite a bit recently.
In my post a couple days ago I wrote that I keep finding myself experiencing this deja vu, a returning from past moments in my life where I was invited into challenge and yet, ultimately chose the easier and safer path … the one where I knew I could win.
Now, once again, I find myself standing there.
Thinking I’ve been like Commodus in the past is terrifying, even as I feel the temptation to walk that path again.