When I was younger, I used to love to run. I started by running 10-kilometer races, and then I graduated to 10-milers, moved on to half marathons, and before I knew it, I was running marathons. People would ask me: “What’s it like training for a marathon?” I’d always have the same answer: “You have to be willing to do some running in the rain.” I’d smile to myself because I knew most people had no idea what I was talking about. For me, “running in the rain” has always been a metaphor for something much greater. 
To help you understand where I’m coming from, let me tell you how a person typically trains for a marathon. A race of 26.2 miles is not something to be taken lightly. Most people on this earth cannot just show up and run a marathon, and yet, almost anyone can complete one. How can that be? You just need to have a commitment to train properly. That commitment involves your nutrition and setting goals for yourself. The most important part of the puzzle, however, is the dedication to run a certain number of miles each week.
For me, I made a commitment to run 35 miles every week. I typically liked to break those miles up into five different runs, and each run was a certain distance. No matter how many runs I planned or how long each one was, the weekly mileage total was nonnegotiable. Depending on my travel schedule, family obligations, weather, and personal mood, some weeks were easier than others, but I never missed getting my 35 miles a week in.
Notice I put an emphasis on the word, “never.” That’s because I have always been suspicious and untrusting of the word, “usually.” There are too many things that can affect something we “usually” do. I could fall prey to the voices in my head that were masterful at providing a litany of excuses as to why I didn’t have to run that day, or that week. There could always be extenuating circumstances, which really meant that I just couldn’t fulfill my 35 miles that week.
Now, I don’t mean that I didn’t have my fair share of Sundays with a mileage count that was behind where it should have been, and some of those Sundays were pretty rainy, but out I went. I had no one to blame but myself. I was the schmuck you saw running in the rain.
That philosophy has served me well in business, and in life. When I wrote my first book in 1993, I didn’t have a mentor and I knew little about how to tackle a project like that. What I did know was this: To me, it represented a marathon of sorts, and I approached it in the same way. Instead of a weekly mileage count, I created a weekly page count.
It has also served many others I work with well – including a good friend of mine who is writing a book. I have encouraged him to set a page count he must adhere to each week, and he has never let his busy and challenging life get in the way of achieving the page count he committed to. He still has some unpleasant “Sunday nights,” when he is doing his own kind of run in the rain. He has to stay up very late to write those pages he promised himself he would. He is also on his way to becoming a published author, and it is mostly because he has allowed nothing to get in the way of the writing of his weekly number of pages.
We all hear the same voices in our heads that whine: “It’s just not your week; you’ll get ‘em next week for sure!” Breaking the task down to nonnegotiable, challenging, and realistic bites allows us to never falter. The voices don’t disappear; but they are reduced to whispers because they know we won’t listen.
You don’t have to be training for a marathon, or trying to write a book, to connect with this message. We all set goals; some are immediate, and some are long-term. It’s those long-term goals that require those nonnegotiable, short-term commitments. Sometimes we may hit some cold and rainy Sunday nights, but we still have to lace up those shoes and run.
The next time you pass by a shmuck running in the rain, perhaps you’ll see someone else. If you take a real close look as you go by, you may see what I see; someone with a sense of pride along with a wry smile that says, “next week, I’m going to run in the sun!”
One of the greatest motivational thoughts I’ve ever embraced. Thanks for the gift my friend!
JV
I was hoping we’d hear from JV. This is the man who was mentioned in the BLArticle® and who has been doing a lot of running in the rain. Stay tuned because this is also the man who is going have his book on the shelves in the next twelve months, and when he does, BLArticle® Nation is going to hear about it! Proud of the hard work you have put in JV. You’re almost there.
Rob — I KNEW it was JV! You and he share a lot of (great) characteristics — and character. Great Blarticle.
Well, in fairness, I wasn’t exactly calling JV a schmuck… but I got a lot of emails of completed weekly assignments launched at 2:30 am on Sundays!
ok, you got me………..as soon as I finish my blah blah blah………I will finish my short story……..
thanks pal.
By the way, my blah blah blah, includes a class in philanthropy with the required readings and test, a sale of my home and a move to a rental, a purchase of another and a renovation project, a new job with the responsibility of killing something so we can eat something…….and a wonderful spouse with good intent that asks me daily – so what did you sell today? “nuttin honey”……and my shoulders slump……
Overcoming this is nothing compared to what I have been through and i will get all of this done. I promise, and I thank you for the gentle reminder.
Its raining and I am going to play in the rain today.
Glad to hear you’re owning it Bob, but that doesn’t surprise me. You’ve always been a runner in the rain. Now just aim that running at that personal goal I know you’ve had circled on that bucket list of yours. Got get it Bob!
I’m a huge fan of Dory from Finding Nemo. Dory’s philosophy is similar to yours Rob. “Just keep swimming!” And swim I will. As I sit here on vacation with my page count clock ticking I am excited to write each word while my family is on the beach and I hang back at the house, knowing one day my goal of becoming a published author is going to come true. Thanks for all your guidance. I can really relate to that friend of yours. DS
How do you like that? First two comments are from runners in the rain! Doug went crashing through the 100 page barrier a week or so ago and is going to get that book out as well. Look for Doug’s blog http://www.dougsandler.com/news/ if you want to read a talented writer’s take on nice people finishing first. Keep running Doug!
Thank you for making the connection, Rob. I think I’ve been running in the rain for a long time but now but this gives me renewed focus to stay on track and not negotiate. I’m setting my focus, lacing up, and smiling running through the rain looking forward to my run in the sun.
Now I happen to know for a fact that you are a mudder! What I so appreciate about you is not only do you run in the rain, but you run with class. Keep lacing them up Suzanne!
Great thoughts & principles by which to live & work.
Like children, when it comes to BLArticles® I’m not supposed to like one more than another… but this one is personal. I’m glad it clicked with you Tom, and thank you so much for posting.
I’m finally getting around to reading How To Change Minds and I am loving it. These BLarticles are a great way to reinforce the brief training I got from Rob at the ODLI in June 2013. And yes, I have been that schmuck running in the rain.
Well, welcome to the club fellow… well let’s just call you a fellow “running in the rainer!” I hope you enjoy that book. I really liked getting at the moral implications of disturbing questions. When we realize it’s the most compassionate choice we can make in helping others, the process required becomes a lot easier. Happy to have worked with you, enjoy your read, and thanks a lot for posting. That means a great deal to me.
Hey Rob:
As a big runner, loved the analogy to business and so true. Now, if it’s ice…another challenge all together: You need clip-on spikes.
Ah, the ice. Let’s look at the ice as a representation for the trickier, more political miles we have to run. We learn from our mistakes on that one don’t we Joe? But if we do accept, and learn from those mistakes running on the ice, we evolve and get wiser. You have risen to a position in your company that could only have been accomplished by learning how to run on the ice! Always great hearing from you Joe.
Rob,
I love the article! The phrase that spoke to me the most was that running in the rain is a metaphor for something greater. As a runner, I can identify and though I wouldn’t refer to myself as a schmuck, I am that guy who loves the challenge of the run in the rain and the “can’t bring me down, not gonna stop me” attitude that it gives. After all, if we waited for perfect conditions to do anything, nothing would ever get done! Thanks for the inspiration!
Regards,
Marc
And let’s not forget, if we commit to a realistic schedule of nonnegotiable tasks we don’t have to run in the rain. But when the voices keep telling us to, “put it off, and get at it tomorrow,” that’s when we run in the rain. Thanks for posting Marc. Great hearing from you!
I don’t want to be the guy who takes your sentiment too literally… I understand that running in the rain applies to all of life, but I am most motivated right now by the running implications, because I’m running about 35-40 miles a week, and even the “easy” runs can be a burden that I just have to sweat through. Thanks!
When those runs become too easy, and you aren’t sweating, we both know what that means. As a guy who ran his share of races I can tell you what you already know. The harder I train, the faster I run on race day. Simple enough… unless the voices convince us to slow down. Here’s to shutting out the voices! I love hearing from a fellow runner – thanks for posting Peter.
I am always running both to something, for something, and from someone. Lately there has been a great deal of rain and I keep looking for the sun. Nonetheless, I just wish I was really running a different race. Thanks, as always, cousin, for your clever and true writings.
Thank you cousin for taking the time to read me, and get the message. I’m not sure I know of a person who has been running as long as you have in the rain, but we both know eventually the sun is going to shine. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Thanks for posting Dee.
As a long distance runner I can certainly relate to switching on that “eye of the tiger” mentality when it counts the most. Sounds like the Rocket may define you in more ways than one. By the way, you put gas back in my tank when I saw you in Chicago. It had been many years and I needed to be Jollesized.
Thanks Rob,
Cary
Thrilled to have gased you back up! I’m starting to hear that word, “Jollesized” more and more. I say we get it in the Urban Dictionary and make it official. I really enjoy working with people who recognize that there’s always more to learn about our profession. “Eye of the tiger” my friend. Thanks for posting and always great working with you.
Rob – you hit a ‘home run’ with this one! You’re headin’ to the World Series! Only not baseball….running! Very entertaining!
The ‘scenario’ you describe – could also be summarized by several other, meaningful words, such as: ‘self-motivated’, ‘persistent’, determined’, ‘driven’, ‘never-say-die’, etc., etc.!
When I was in the Army many years ago they had a ‘saying – that went something like this:
….”There are men in the ranks…who stay in the ranks…because they just don’t get anything done!”
That sure wasn’t your case, Rob!
JM
“C.T.”
You know I don’t always hit a home run, but I’m always swinging for the fences. Watching you do your TV show Communicating Today for over 700 shows now tells us you’re a guy who gets it. Your nonnegotiable task for every show you host is methodical preparation. I’ve seen it firsthand! Always a pleasure hearing from you John.
Great Blarticle, Rob! I have set a business goal this year that has not been accomplished yet by anyone in my area. Time to set my non-negotiable “running in the rain” weekly commitment! That commitment is currently WAAY outside my comfort zone, just as running 35 miles a week would be at the start. We have to leave what’s comfortable if we want to achieve our dreams. Can’t wait to get started!
Sounds like you’ve already got it started because you have your mind in the right place going in. I always like the quote from a boxer names Marvelous Marvin Hagler that went something like this; “When I train, I train hard, but when I don’t want to train, I train twice as hard.” I’m hearing when I need to run in the rain, I run twice as hard. It sure worked for him. Great hearing from you Penny!
Rob – one of your very best. I enjoyed the analogy and know a number of schmucks that never give up. As I reflect on them virtually all of them are tenacious in accomplishing great things outside of their marathon training. They do apply that same “get em done” attitude. The best compliment is I liked it so much I shared it with my children.
I’m hooked on training the mind to accept “nonnegotiable” tasks and accepting the voices will always be there. Of course, the longer we develop a track record for not listening, the weaker those voices become. I take the fact that you sent this to your children as a wonderful compliment, and I sincerely thank you. Welcome to the BLArticle® Bob. So meaningful to hear you voice.
Great, great message Rob! Have been considering a 10k in September, and this post was a pretty powerful motivator! Hope all is well out in your neck of the woods sir, and wish you all the best!
Now remember, that running example was a metaphor for something bigger, however, it originated as a running example, so go for it. I’ll have you know I entered my first 10k in over 20 years a few weeks ago. Great fun. Go get it Ben. So nice to hear from you – thanks for posting.
Rob,
Simply… “Thank You!”
I want you to know Phil, you’ve just reminded me that less is often better. You replied with three word… and they could not be more meaningful to me. This was a very personal BLArticle® for me, and I’m so happy it resonated with you. You are officially the only member of BLArticle® nation allowed to respond with three words!