Written by Miller Hollstein
What is the meaning of life?
The more I live and experience, the more I find that the answer leans towards invisible things.
In the world of material pleasures, things have become extrinsically motivated.
“What do I get out of it?” remains the ultimate question.
It’s just how society is these days, but if we dig a bit deeper, we start to see that there is more.
We take things too seriously these days. Life is meant to be enjoyed!
These often overlooked intrinsic values are what pack the most punch.
Money, fame, prestige, cars, houses, land… what is it all for? Is it for you? Are you sure?
I did a thought experiment and decided to use joy as a filter.
I mean, why do anything if you don’t get joy as a result in some form?
Even working a job provides joy in some aspect whether it's to travel, have financial freedom, or some other adjacent benefit (and if not… it's time to reevaluate).
I went through all of my things, all of my decisions, and all of my actions and asked myself why I did/wanted them and if they provided me with joy.
I easily deceived myself multiple times, but the truth eventually arose.
I boiled my life down to a few things that truly provided joy.
Running was one of them.
Where does the joy come from, you might ask?
In short, there is no one answer. And every time I mention one, another pops into my head.
It is joyful because I am in nature or in a city or surrounded by people and get to experience all kinds of life as a fly on the wall.
It is joyful because I am moving across the earth under my own power and however I wish.
Because it allows my mind to think or not think.
Because it benefits all areas of my life.
Because it is for me.
Because it's fun!!
And that last one is what I want to hone in on today because it seems the most untrue from many perspectives, including my own for the majority of my life.
For many people, it is hard to see why or how running can be enjoyable.
The sense of dread associated with lacing up the shoes is a feeling I know all too well. But not only is a joyful experience possible, it’s also within your reach.
This one tip can change everything for you. It did for me.
Stop Caring. About Anything.
Pace. Time. Distance. Speed. Looks. What people think.
Just stop. None of that matters.
Do the same thought experiment that I did: ask why?
Why do you want to run a fast pace when you are first starting? Is it for you? Are you sure?
Same goes for distance, speed, and even how you look. Why do you care?
The truth is that (almost always) YOU don’t. You only think you do because you are worried about what other people think.
And almost always running becomes less fun because we are focusing on the external optics of it.
But, when you stop caring and just run for you. For the reasons that YOU decide…
Everything changes.
So, ask yourself: Why do I run?
If the answer isn’t yours, keep asking the question.
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