the phrase “mission statement” makes me want to puke. it’s corporate, marketing-inspired, w*nkspeak.
but here’s the thing. I’ve semi-knowingly been seeking a “mission” for this blog for a while now, trying to find a way to sum up the direction it’s been pulling in.
then I saw the quote in the picture above. and it was perfect.
applicable to running, rowing, losing weight or sorting other sh*t out
getting fit and healthy was my specific catalyst. running a marathon was my particular vehicle.
however, as I have said before, this whole thing is really about saying “f*ck you” to “mr fat guy” whoever and whatever that is in your circumstance.
it’s probably not even about what you think it is. being overweight and unfit was actually a symptom as it turned out. the underlying problem was that I’d piled up a load of sh*t, allowed myself to become entombed in the mundanity of everyday sh*t, and couldn’t see the forest for the sh*t.
my sh*t needed sorting out. and so, probably, does yours.
so what does this sparkly new fan-frigging-tastic “mission statement” mean?
it works at every single level.
be bold enough to use your voice
I love writing, I may not be that great at it, but I do enjoy it. I’ve always wanted to write, even as a kid. I can remember just grabbing a pad and a pen and sitting there, wanting to write. not having anything to write, and getting frustrated.
as I write this, I even get a flashback to a school trip to the city of bath. in the souvenir shop, I bought a notepad and a pen. I wrote one line (something like “today has been a wonderful day”).
someone saw it, and laughed.
that book never had another word written in it. ever.
in recent times, I’ve started blogs, quite a few of them in fact. but it has only been my journal and blogging here that has been consistent. I’ve found, it seems, my reason to write.
through this little health & fitness project I have become bold enough to use my voice in a writing sense.
listen to your heart
clarity and confidence have been found through running, there’s been a realisation that I can actually finish sh*t, and I have gained strength in the knowledge of that fact.
these things combined give me great self-belief and confidence in myself, to listen, hear and understand what my heart is yearning for, and what it wishes to eliminate.
to act upon those heartfelt desires.
live the life you’ve always imagined
this is the killer stroke, the final act in the piece. the overall purpose to which everything has been headed.
it’s not about fitness. it’s not about health. it’s not about wealth. it’s not even about happiness, experiences, stories or adventures.
space to appreciate life
space for meaning
space to design a life of my own choosing
enough about you already. what about the blog?
for a long time I agonised over the stuff I’d heard and read from other sites. tried to find my “passion”, tried to figure out how to convert that to an online business, tried and failed. repeatedly.
I never got it. never felt that I’d hit the exact combination. the meeting point of passion and need that could provide a spark that ignited the flames.
in a million, million years I would NEVER have predicted, pre-empted, guessed or gambled on a combination of blogging and running as such a beast.
yet here I am now feeling nervous about the future, yet completely sure and absolutely compelled to use this little fitness journal of mine as something more.
a source of inspiration
a means of communicating a message
an idea that can impact lives and change the world
so from here on in, expect to find not only running-related stuff, not only my daily journal and workout routines, but a lot of the other stuff that is swimming around in my head. spirituality stuff. mindset stuff. business stuff. personal stuff.
the stuff that constitutes all aspects of a meaningful life. pretty much my own experiences and thoughts, but hopefully these will contain nuggets that add meaning and value to your life too.
hold on to your hats. unless you don’t have a hat, in which case hold on to your hair (or ears if you’re bald)
the ride will be bumpy for sure.
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