“Far better it is to dare mighty things than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Our Chad Boucher is the kind of person who quietly raises your standard if you pay attention to his commitment to his passion.
He trains hard, competes harder and is closing in on completing the world’s major marathons — something most people will never even attempt. Being aware of his discipline has a way of keeping me tuned in to what’s happening in his world.
That’s why a result from the Los Angeles Marathon on March 8 jumped out at me.
Runner Nathan Martin won in a way that provides us lessons for success in life.
With five miles to go, he was exhausted. He couldn’t even see the leader, Michael Kimani Kamau. By all reasonable standards, he was already having a great race. Finishing strong would’ve certainly been enough.
But he didn’t settle.
He chose to push through the pain and surged.
And over the final stretch ... closing a gap that didn’t look closable … with a mile and a half remaining he caught sight of the leader with what looked like an insurmountable lead. At 800 meters it looked possible. With 300 meters his body screamed out to let up, concede and celebrate second place. At the finish line — victory by 0.1 seconds, the closest finish in the race’s history.
That kind of moment is where personal leadership shows up.
Here’s what I take from it:
• Don’t settle for “good enough” - The real battle isn’t at the starting line — it’s near the end, when we’re tired and our standards start to slip. That voice that says “this is fine” is the one we have to beat. That’s where the best decisions get made.
• Empty the tank - Martin didn’t surge because he thought he’d win. He surged because he didn’t want to wonder what might’ve happened if he had. That’s the best standard — to finish knowing we used all of it, not wondering how much we left in the tank.
• We don’t control the outcome, we control the push - We won’t always get the result. But we always get to decide if we press when it’s uncomfortable. That’s the part that defines us.
Most people are capable of more than they show — especially at the end.
The question for all of us is whether we are willing to find out.
