Story

Dave was that guy—you know, the one who always spilled coffee on himself in the morning, got stuck in traffic on the way to work, and somehow always ended up forgetting his lunch. One day, Dave decided to go for a run (because, you know, New Year’s resolutions and all). He barely made it five minutes before he had to stop and catch his breath, hunched over, hands on his knees, feeling like he’d just run a marathon.

He looked up at a jogger passing by, who was gliding effortlessly, probably listening to some motivational podcast and feeling like an absolute superhero. Dave thought, “Great. I’m definitely not cut out for this.” But then something weird happened. That jogger slowed down, turned around, and said, “Hey man, don’t worry. I was exactly where you are last year. Just keep going. You’ll get there.”

Dave, a bit surprised, gave a half-hearted thumbs up, like, “Yeah, yeah, thanks,” but deep down he thought, “What’s the point? I’ll never be like that guy.”

But here’s the thing—Dave didn’t give up. He kept going. Not every day was a perfect run, and some days he looked more like a penguin waddling than a runner, but he stuck with it. A few months later, he realized something: he wasn’t running to be like that other guy. He was running to be a better version of himself—slow and steady, but still making progress.

And here’s the kicker: life’s a lot like that. We all compare ourselves to others and think we should be there—wherever there is. But the truth is, it’s not about being the best or fastest. It’s about showing up, doing what you can, and not giving up. Because you’re not in competition with anyone but yourself.

So, next time you feel like giving up or comparing yourself to someone else, just remember: even the most graceful joggers started out looking like a hot mess. Keep going, even if you’re taking it one step at a time. You’re doing just fine.🙌❤️