Time for a Gut Check!

Happy Monday!    I hope you had a great Independence Day weekend.  One filled with food, fun and family.   Mine?   It started with the annual Peachtree Road Race...the biggest 10K race in the world with 60k particpants.  I have always believed that running is a metaphor for life... this day was no different.   Because of my time last year and my two half-marathon times, I moved from the "newbie" category of the "W" flight...all the way to the elite runners in flight "E".    Don't hate - I earned that status by paying my dues.   That means I wouldn't have to dodge the casual walkers, the kids, the older runners and those who are just there for the festivities along with 250,000 cheering onlookers.  It meant I would run a substantially faster time since everyone in my group would be equally matched...actually running.   Learning a logistics lesson from last year, we left the house at an early time and boarded rapid transit at the lowest point to avoid the massive crowds and delays.  Despite our efforts, I missed the "E" train (you had to see that coming!) and had to take the walk of shame back to "L"...Natalie was set for "P" so she was fine.    I now had to run with all the folks I thought I wouldn't have to see again.  Natalie told me to "just have fun" and gave me a kiss for good luck.   They sent us off and I began running the gauntlet.  I must has looked like Emitt Smith in his prime for the Dallas Cowboys...cutting in...cutting out...two-stepping my way...waiting for things to clear...   They never did.   At about mile 4, I had wearied of the "hopscotch" and pulled into the slow running lane.  Just then, we passed by Shepard Spinal Clinic and they had several of the paralyzed patients on the street giving high fives to runners passing by.  I was too far away to connect, but the visual had done it's job...   Ok, Brandon...Time for a Gut Check!   It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect, the crowd was enthusiastic, the runners polite saying "excuse me" as I passed them, Natalie had gone with me (she ran her personal best!) and most of all...my Patellar ligament didn't hurt!   Upon "real" inspection and introspection, the conditions were perfect for me to run a good race in spite of my "disadvantaged" start...but I had to dig deep and give it all I had to give.   Since running is a metaphor for life, I have a few questions...   Did you get a slower start than you expected?   Are you allowing the less than perfect conditions to be your excuse to run in the "slow lane"?   Are you digging deep to reach your goals?   Sales is a proportionate business. That means that what you put in...you get out.    Sure, there are people who get lucky every now and again but the really successful people are "making their luck" with extraordinary effort and dedication.    I know that last weeks canvassing discussion showed some of you that there is another level of "heart" necessary to make it in this business...especially when you don't have all the advantages of money and plentiful lead sources.   As I passed those people who may never run again, I renewed my resolve to leave it all on the streets of Atlanta.  I dodged a few hundred more people, giving them encouragement as I passed them.  The last 1/2 mile, the lanes opened up and I was almost in a full sprint (that's what I saw in my head anyway!).  My heart felt like it could burst but the stride was strong and committed.   Hands raised as I passed the finish line, I got a glimpse of my time.  Though I started about the same place as last year, I was almost 2 minutes faster!   Yea, running is a metaphor for life...   Don't give up...find the inspiration that is all around you...dig deep and give it your all.    If you cant find it, then it is...   Time for a Gut Check!   Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!