Give It Time

In a society where we can have anything at the click of a button, we've lost our sense of patience. This exists in the micro as it relates to our immediate needs but also in the macro and how quickly we expect to get results in our lives. Things take time to grow and develop, but practicing this philosophy is different than knowing it.

Dave Meltzer shares this concept called the empty mile. When it comes to any race or pursuit, do you know which literal or metaphorical mile is the emptiest? It’s the last, because people quit along the way. But the empty mile is the most fruitful and has multiplied value because it is earned. You want to find yourself in the empty mile. But you can’t expect to reach the empty mile at the very beginning of the race. You need to give it time and earn your way to it.

And there’s a process to that. It’s Dave’s cornerstone philosophy which is that we must enjoy the consistent (everyday), persistent (without quit) pursuit of our potential. When we resiliently focus on taking action in the present moment, and fee fulfilled and validated by it, we aren’t as concerned with the outcomes being produced. This is a great thing because it creates more time for the outcomes to mature.

I’ve very much seen this come to life in a project I’m leading. Outside of the work I do with the podcast I have a social impact agency where we’re organizing a Veterans Day campaign. In our 2nd year, we’re slowly starting to see partnerships open up, opportunities come to life, and the full vision for what’s possible with this campaign to materialize. It’s inspiring but it has only been possible because we have stayed consistent and persistent in the face of setbacks.

You might be curious to hear about it - The campaign is called BurpeesForVets and our mission is to inspire 1000 people to do a burpee for every dollar they fundraise leading up to Veterans Day. Veterans Day is a month away and if you feel inspired to step up to the challenge, or you know a gym owner or leader in the fitness space that might want to get involved in supporting, please be a part of this movement by helping us grow it! Send an email to burpeesforvets@forpurpose.com with any ideas or interest and I’ll personally follow up with you there! And you can sign yourself up for the burpee challenge at www.burpeesforvets.org!