Stop caring what other people think
that’s runnable
The 13th Edition of your favourite running newsletter
Welcome back to your weekly dose of run chat.
A quick read of insightful tips and thoughts to help you with your running.
There’s something beautiful about running. When you go to an event, like a marathon for example, you’ll realise this. Everyone’s doing it for their own reasons, on different journeys, and success to one person looks very different than to another.
Something to Think About
It’s easy to get caught up with what others might be thinking of you. You might be self conscious about how you look when you run, or wondering what others might think of your chip time on a race. But it’s so important to think about why you’re doing it, the personal journey you're on, and the goals YOU have.
Something to Ask Yourself
Are you measuring success on how others might define it? How much do you care about what other people might think? Do you think this matters? Sometimes we forget the real reasons we run, and replace it with meaningless comparison or definitions of success that have no relevance to us.
Article of the Week 📄
This week’s article explains that our concerns about others’ opinions are often exaggerated. Arthur Brooks argues that humans are naturally inclined to seek approval due to evolutionary reasons, but this tendency can lead to unnecessary anxiety in modern life. He suggests three steps to break free from this mindset: realise that most people aren't focused on you, confront and reject unwarranted shame, and stop judging others to lessen fear of judgment yourself. The goal is not to disregard all opinions but to care less and find balance.
Track of the Week 🎶
I thought this tune would be relevant. A reminder that you’re unique. This week’s Track of the Week is:
No One Else Like Me by The Red Clay Strays (2024)
Personal Lesson
Making content online is something I love to do. Over the past few years, I’ve found real purpose in helping inspire, motivate, educate, and encourage people to get out the door. But with increased attention online, it’s only natural that I overthink what people might think of me.
This weekend, I ran my first Official Half Marathon event. And whilst I always encourage people to run their own race and define their own success, I found myself getting a little worked up about what people might think of the fact I’d never done one before and what they’d think of my chip time. Stupid, I know.
I had to remind myself that none of that matters in the slightest. The reason I’d never done a Half Marathon event before is because it’d never interested me. When I got into running, I wasn’t doing it for the medals. I had very little interest in racing. And the only person qualified to say whether my time was “good” or “bad” is me.
We’re all running for our own reasons, some take it more seriously than others, and each person has different goals and motivations. For me, if I ever start defining my success based on other people’s potential definitions of it, it loses it’s charm.
Running - Life’s Metaphor
Judgement from others can be the most debilitating thing. Most of the time, the negative thoughts we think others have are non-existent and they serve no purpose. Whether it’s your running goals or any other goals you’re chasing, be sure to focus on the reasons you’re doing it, and not the judgement of others.
Final Thoughts
I think a lot about this topic. I see so many people doing things for approval from others. In the running world, I see people chasing goals that aren’t their own, from the 3hr marathon to completing an Ultramarathon. When I compare someone who’s chasing goals for external validation with someone who’s doing it for their own reasons, the difference in them is palpable.
No matter how experienced you are as a runner, it’s always possible to compare your accomplishments to others in the wrong way. I believe, more now than ever before, that we have to do things for the right reasons. If we are to enjoy the process and create a sustainable and long-lasting relationship with running, we have to reflect more on our own “why”, and make sure it’s not being diluted with caring what other people think.
Thanks again for reading and subscribing.
Run the runnable, and keep showing up for yourself!
Tommy :)
