Hey all, just a bit of housekeeping. We’ve been experimenting with doing blog posts on Monday and Tuesday, but that doesn’t seem to be the best schedule. Therefore starting next week we will be moving to a Monday and (likely) Friday format. Any comments welcome!

Now on to today’s post!

Photo By Adrian Clark via StockPholio.com

There is this guy…

I have a friend that I encounter fairly regularly at the gym. His name is irrelevant, but let me tell you, the guy is built like he was chiseled out of marble. It’s pretty crazy. He looks like a male model. In fact he WAS a male model, sent around the world be a well known clothing company to show off their clothing line. Wherever he traveled he was swarmed by all kinds of adoring teenage girls.

We are not in the same league

If you read my blogs much or know me personally then you’ve learned that I run a fair amount and I also work out at the gym. But my friend? He makes me look a 90 pound weakling. Yeah, he’s got it and I SO don’t. It’s just not fair.

The other day…

A few days ago we were chatting, while he was working on his pecs by moving what must have been the equivalent weight of a medium sized Redwood tree. He asked me a question, “So what are you training for?” At the time I was about two weeks out from my upcoming race and I replied, “I’m running a half marathon.” He asked “How far is that?” I responded, “13.1 miles.”

Everything changed

He looked at me and said two sentences that completely changed my point of view. His words? “I could not do that. I would die.” There I stood, completely awed with his hard work and dedication, with his sheer strength and yet he let me know in no uncertain terms that what I was about to do was beyond his ability.

From my perspective running a half marathon was a challenge, but very doable. In fact I had already run the distance in training. So to me it wasn’t incredibly impressive. But to him it was almost inconceivable.

Divergent paths

What I was reminded of that day that I’m not in competition with my friend. I'm not in competition with my friend. Click To Tweet In fact we are on completely different paths. We didn’t have the same goals and beyond wanting to be in shape we had very little in common. But make no mistake, I am in a competition…and so are you.

Just a little more

You are on a unique path. If you are married then you have most things in your life in common with your spouse, but even then you have your own gifts and talents to be shared.  Go grab a mirror. You are your only competition. This isn’t about fitness or health necessarily, but it is about self improvement in life. Every day each of us needs to be a little better than the day before. Every day each of us needs to be a little better than the day before. Click To Tweet We need to find an area and resolve to do what it takes to grow. Look at your life. Is there an area where you’ve been stagnant for a period of time? Then it’s time to take a small step, to begin or restart the process of growth. You don’t want to look back in 5 years and still be exactly where you are today. Take a little action today, then just a little more tomorrow and pretty soon you’ll be amazed where God has led you.

You can do it! Let me know in the comments what small step you are going to take!

-Troy