Live the Metaphor

Despite prevailing evidence to the contrary, life is not a 24-hour sprint. It is a 30,000-day marathon (That number represents the number of days the average person lives). Because a marathon is an event or activity that requires prolonged effort or endurance, it is a perfect metaphor for life.

Earlier this year I challenged myself to do something that would bring the metaphor to life. That’s when I decided to do what I am calling a “30K Notes of Encouragement Marathon.” I am mailing 30,000 hand-written notes to women encouraging them to live well now. I started in April of 2006 and my goal is to finish in December of 2007. Writing the notes is a real learning experience. Here are the three most important lessons I have learned so far:

There’s Plenty of Time to Do What Matters

One of the first questions people ask when I tell them about my marathon is “where will you find the time to write all those notes?” Although, I must admit that I am getting up a lot earlier and had to skip the final episode of Hell’s Kitchen, writing the notes has taught me that there is plenty of time to do what matters. And besides how dare anyone complain about not having enough time, we all have the same amount of time that all great men and women have had. If Mother Teresa found the time to feed the poorest of the poor, and Martin Luther King, Jr. found the time to fight for civil rights, and Picasso found time to paint, I can certainly find the time to write 30,000 notes.

Ask the Right Question and the Motivation Will Follow

The other day I had a few hours of free time and I asked myself what has to qualify as a stupid question: “Jackie, what do you feel like doing?” And I responded in the way that I always respond to that question, “I don’t feel like doing anything and I especially don’t feel like doing what needs to be done.” Focusing on how I feel leads to thinking about how tired I am, how busy I am, or how I sorry I am feeling for myself. And these thoughts drive me straight to the couch where I curl in the fetal position to watch Star Trek reruns.

Through the process of writing the notes I have discovered that if I change the question I can change the outcome. Instead of asking “What do I feel like doing now?” I ask “What is my purpose now?” This is a more powerful question because it reminds me to focus on my mission to encourage as many people as I can. And while I know I can’t give the world all of the encouragement it needs, the world needs all the encouragement I can give.

This response quickly ignites my passion and provides the motivation I need to start writing more notes.

Doing is Better Than Talking

I talked about writing the notes for almost one year before I actually began writing the notes. I talked about the messages I would include in each note. I talked about the concerns I had with paying for the postage and notecards. I talked about how much I enjoyed receiving notes and how I thought others would enjoy getting them as well. After talking and talking, my husband finally got fed up listening to me dribble on about one day getting started. He said “What are you waiting for? At some point you will have to stop talking and start writing.” I am so grateful that I finally shut up and started writing the notes. As I approach the 3000-note mark, I realize that doing the marathon is better than talking about it.

That’s why I encourage you to begin your own 30K Days Marathon. Think about what you can do to live the metaphor and then do it. I am writing notes; you may want to run, bike, or swim. Only you can you decide what you are going to do with your 30,000 days. Whatever you do: do it right and do it now!