A race in the sand

A life-long lesson learned

Running on a sandy beach isn’t easy. Running a competitive race on a sandy beach is even harder.

It was a clear, cool, spring day at the beach as the children of this seaside community gathered for a fun day of racing and games. For the ten-year-old girls, a red flag was planted in the sand about 100 yards from a ribbon starting line.

The older children lined each side of this simple straight running track waiting to cheer on their siblings and friends. But before lining up with the others, one ten-year-old girl was taken aside by her dad, given his blue jersey to wear, and as he hugged her, he told her to remember just four rules:

“The first rule,” he said, “is to keep your eye on your goal—the red flag. Second, don’t pay attention to the other children in the race or look around to see how they are progressing. Third, don’t listen to the cheers or the applause of the children on the sidelines. And fourth, don’t stop running, no matter what happens!”

Off they started. Many of the other runners were faster than that one figure in the blue jersey who just steadily ran on, untroubled at being last. You could tell if you were there by the tilt of her head that she never once took her eyes off her goal - the flag.

Some of the girls in the lead began looking back to see how they were doing, only to trip up and stumble, or bump into another runner. Unconcerned, our little friend just kept running. As the other children ran, their friends along the course clapped and cheered them on. Some of them turned and waved a response, and in doing so, lost time.

Nearing the flag, the lead runner waved to her friends and began pumping her hands in a victory pose - only to be passed by a little girl in a blue jersey.

When dad and daughter hugged afterward, she didn’t seem nearly as elated about winning the race as she was about the lesson she had learned. Joyfully she looked at her dad and said, “I remembered!” Now the question is, “Will you remember?”

Here’s what you can do:

When you set your goal, keep it in sight. That might mean writing it down and carrying it with you.
Focus on what you’re doing and not on what others are doing. Use “laser vision” to focus on your goal. Avoid distractions.
Pay no attention to the cheers or the jeers on your journey to goal achievement. They won’t help you, and only distract you from your goal by breaking your focus.
Don’t stop running! No matter what happens, keep on. The race doesn’t always go to the fastest woman or man—it goes to those who think they can

Enjoy your next race—whatever that may be—and “Remember!”

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A race in the sand

A life-long lesson learned