“Either you run the day or the day runs you.”
– Jim Rohn

The following is an excerpt from my personal blog – April 20, 2012:

“So it’s really been on my mind lately to start running.  I don’t know why really. It just seems that I’ve been more aware of runners lately. I see them on the street when I’m on my way to work and the thought crosses my mind, “I wish I was them.” I’m out of shape and lazy..which are probably going to be pretty big obstacles in the way of my becoming a runner. But who knows…maybe I can work on that. The thing that appeals to me most is the peace of mind that runners seem to have. I hear so many of them talk about how it clears your mind and helps you forget about the rest of the world while you’re running. Boy do I need that. Anything that can shut this brain up would be a more than welcome addition to my life…”

Wow.  And here I am beginning my second week of a ten-week training plan for a half marathon two months from today.  Crazy, man.  I’m tellin’ ya.

See?  It all starts with just a little thought. (A little thought that I was lucky enough to have written down to be able to go back and look at.) Just one little inkling of a dream.  And then you take that first step out the door, and suddenly that dream is not only coming true, but it starts snowballing and multiplying into bigger and better dreams.  Not just with running – this applies to anything.  If you really want something – you make it happen.  It’s as easy as that.  It’s not a quick fix and it doesn’t happen overnight.  But it happens – and that first step is saying that you want it.  Like I did.

Is there something you’re thinking of doing?  Something maybe that you need to do?  Some little inkling of a dream in there somewhere?  Write it down.  Do it.  Right now.  Get a pen and a piece of paper and write it down.  Then hide it somewhere.  Put it in your wallet – in the glovebox of your car – in a drawer on your bedside table.  Just do it.

And then tell yourself that you can make it happen.  Tell yourself every single day.  Start taking baby steps and make your way towards it.  Every day take one more step – make one more small change, one more small choice towards making it happen.  Even if it’s just opening that drawer and reading it again as a reminder.  Just tell yourself it’s going to happen, and it will.

And it will change you.  I promise.