Steve Prefontaine. The son of an Oregon logger man.
Too small for football. Too slow for track. Not a sprinter. Also not fast enough to be a great miler.
But, he could endure more pain than anyone else.
He set the the National High School two-mile record. Bill Bowerman, the University of Oregon head Track Coach, recruited “Pre” and the two of them forever changed American running.
Steve Prefontaine is the only athlete, ever, which Nike has immortalized with a bronze statue. Are ya with me? The only one.
This You Tube video is the final five minutes (of a 13-minute race) of the 1972 Munich Olympics 5,000 meter final. It’s breathtaking, and awe inspiring to watch a man run the best race of his life, and finish fourth.
America thought the best was still to come and the world knew that Steve Prefontaine would return in four years, with a vengence and determination to win the Olympic Gold medal and set a new World Record.
But a tragic, late night car crash changed all that.
Loaded question, right? Of course. We all were. So what’s the point?
The point is there’s a more important question, “Are you still a kid?”
Let’s assume we all say, “Yes, I’m still a kid at heart.”
Good, because kids dream of being a super hero, or being saved by a super hero. Remember? Well guess what? If you are looking for a place to find your motivation, consider being a super hero.
“Everyday courage has few witnesses. But yours is no less noble because no drum beats for you, and no crowds shout your name.” — Robert Louis Stevenson
Maybe you believe in yourself, or maybe you don’t.
The more days that you go without quitting what you you really want to do, the stronger your belief will become.
There really is no other way to change.
You simply must have resolve. A goal is not enough.
You must want this for the rest of your life.
Remember, your everyday courage will have very few witnesses.
As we heard yesterday, humans need a million reasons (fuel) to stay motivated with their health and wellness goals. It would be great if the motivation we so desperately need could also be found at our workplace.
However, even if our companies offer health and wellness programs, odds are, in reality, few will take action.
Does your organization have wellness programs and initiatives?
Do they:
Inspire you?
Motivate you?
Reward you?
Make a difference for you?
How well do they work?
Been thinking about a reader’s question, “How to keep employees healthy in an unhealthy environment?”
The bottom line reason people aren’t motivated is because they haven’t found a personal, compelling reason.
And, the personal, compelling reason is different for each of us. Common themes to be sure, but different personal reasons.
Try some of these on for size:
Be the change.
Action not words.
Do it for someone else.
Lead by example.
Are you an example or a warning?
Fear of regret is greater than fear of failure.
Take personal responsibility.
The greatest fear is the fear of living.
Live, before you die.
Your people are not using the tools you provide because no one wants to work hard. Every company struggles with this. Programs do not address root issues – motivation, barriers, fear.
The reason no one wants to work hard is because they are not motivated enough. They are looking in the wrong places for motivation.
They should not look in the mirror. They should look in their heart, which a mirror does not recognize.
These are the “sound bite” summary ideas around a reader’s question. Thought it would benefit everyone.
But it probably will only benefit a few, the ones who know that the mirror is the enemy.
