Remain dissatisfied with accomplishments:

Heres how you do it:

Step 1:

• Commit yourself to pursue something challenging

  • Example - I recently just ran my second ultra-marathon with a long time friend

Step 2:

• Show up and try your best

  • I finished in about 7.5 hours which placed me at 21/40

  • The maximum allowable time for the race was 10 hours

Step 3:

• Compare yourself not only to everyone who finished before you, but also to those people who were racing at longer distances.

  • bonus points for comparing yourself to people on the internet doing the same things in places that you've never been

Step 4:

• Ruminate on the fact that you haven't accomplished enough and repeat steps 1-4.

0.01% of the global population completes a marathon each year, so surely anyone who raced with me that day has accomplished something.

Even still, I feel as though I have no authority to speak on the subject of running.

When would I feel ready? After a 100 mile race? A 240 mile race? A 3,000 mile race? All of which exist by the way.

The point is that you'll likely never feel ready. No finish line, no matter how impressively long, will ever 'complete you'. The bar will continue to raise and you will continue to compare yourself to those ahead of you so long as you let yourself.

Part of this is human nature.

It's why we explored the oceans until we had circumnavigated the globe. It's why we made it to the moon, and it's why we'll make it to mars.

This way of thinking can also be detrimental…

To my knowledge, this quote doesn't appear anywhere in ancient texts, but it supports my point.

Unless you prefer to weep after reaching your goals I suggest that you take a different approach.

Actionable Steps:

1. Do it for you

   • Engage in activities that you are genuinely curious about. Read my article on curiosity here.

   • Run (or conquer) because you enjoy being outside, because you like how it feels, or because you like how it challenges you mentally.

2. Try your best (seriously)

   • Commit, remain consistent, and do everything in your power.

   • If you do that then it's unlikely that you'll be dissatisfied with yourself even in the event of failure

3. Try to learn something from each experience

   • If you've learned something about yourself or the world in the process, then it was a success regardless of the outcome

4. Acknowledge that the achievement alone won't fulfill you

   • If you know this going in, you won't be hit as hard after whatever it is you've been chasing has been achieved

   • I plan to write more on 'false finish lines' in the coming weeks

Don't expect a specific distance on the trail (or number of enemies slain) to make you feel as though you've 'arrived'.

You'll never arrive, so find a process that you enjoy and compare your achievements only to your own past performance.

Good Luck -

Storm Schichtl