Sha Nacino Happy Tuesday! 🙂
I hope your weekend was refreshing.
Let’s dive in to this week’s Story, Highlight, and call to Action for the week 🙂
Story
Have you ever been on a journey where you felt,
“I don’t think I can finish this! I feel so behind!”
Last Sunday, I was crazy enough to join a FUN RUN and signed up for an 8K. K means kilometer(s). In Filipino, it also means, Kaloka ka Sha!
I’m not really a runner, but I do love walking in nature – at a leisurely pace, the kind where you stop to smell the flowers, watch the birds, and basically just take it all in at a snail’s pace.
For some reason, I thought it would be a great idea to push my limits and sign up for a running distance I’ve never done in my entire life. If there was a 15K or a 21K run, I would have chosen that just to test “how far I’ll go” – cue the Moana soundtrack.
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The sun pierced through the trees, making the scenery so beautiful. It was so romantic, but I also felt like it was teasing me and saying, “Did you really sign up for a run, Sha?” The sun and I shared so many leisurely walks together. It knows me too well. Maybe it thought I was not cut out for this running business!
As I ran, the organizers gave out ponytails as markers, and after receiving one, I assumed I had finished 1K.
I cheered, “One down, seven to go!“
After another round, they gave me another ponytail.
I smiled, “Two down, six to go! I can do this!”
Then it hit me,
“Woah, I still need to make six more rounds!”
My belt bag was weighing me down, and I felt like throwing up. Why didn’t I just sign up for the 2K run like a normal person? I stopped running and walked all the way to the stage or the main area, leaving my belt bag with my friend who was part of the organizing team. I felt lighter, but I still had six rounds to go.
After another round, I got another ponytail.
“Three down, five to go! Yey!”
Time check! I covered 3K in 1 hour 10 minutes!
Gosh, that was pretty slow! Still, I celebrated the fact I did 3 rounds.
“Five more rounds to go?! Waaahhhh! I don’t think I can finish it! I feel so behind.
Can I just quit now and call it a day? Maybe I can just do two additional rounds.
I better treat myself to yummy chocolate ice cream after this!”
Another thought bubble was,
“My brother runs 10K everyday. It’s nothing to him. 5K is just recovery run for him.
How come it’s so easy for him to cover 10k? Oh well, he’s a triathlete and a marathoner.
If my brother can do it, it means I can do it, too!
We’re a family of athletes. It runs in the blood! Yeah!!!”
That gave me my second wind. I picked up my pace and started running again. After a few seconds, reality hit me. Who was I kidding?! My feet felt like they were on fire. I remembered my top priorities for running that day: FUN and SAFETY. So, I ditched the running and went for a more elegant approach – I walked as if I was strolling through a beautiful garden, enjoying the sights and sounds of nature.
When I passed by the main area, one runner who was chilling with her drinks said,
“Is that Sha? Oh Sha, it’s you! How many more rounds do you need to do?”
She looked like she just got out of a relaxing massage, sweat-free and as cool as a cucumber, making me wonder if she had already finished running before we even started.
I showed my 3 ponytails and said,
“Five more.”
She said, “
“You’ve covered six kilometers already. 1 ponytail = 2 kilometers. You just need to do one more round.”
I gave her a big smile, thanked her, and ran like crazy! I was so happy!!!
Of course I can do one more round.
I finished 8K in 1 hour 28 minutes. Well done!!! 🙂
 I got my ice cream… as promised! |
It also meant I covered the last 2 kilometers in just 18 minutes!
If I maintained that pace all throughout, I could have potentially finished 8K in 1 hour and 12 minutes!!
 The Running Singers! 🙂 |
The FUN RUN was organized by KALFI, a non-profit organization that aims to bring out the best in the youth; tap their creative potentialities; inflame them with passion for serious work and true knowledge; awaken their love for genuine freedom; and instill in them a sense of responsibility translated into a lively spirit of service.
I love their mission, so I also supported their event as a sponsor, both in cash and in kind.
(If you love the mission of Tuesdate and you would like to support our mission and partner with me in spreading inspiration, please click here).
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This was the most fun-tastic FUN RUN I’ve ever joined! And trust me, with three fun runs under my belt (including that one where I signed up for 5K because I had to drive for my brother who ran 42K), I’m basically a running legend. Who needs medals and trophies when you have a collection of ponytails as markers, right?
Highlight
I’m certain that depending on your perspective and current state in life, you can extract various valuable lessons from the story. I also hope the story made you laugh. 🙂
Here’s the lesson I want to focus on.
“Lack of clarity leads to uncertainty. When in doubt, seek clarity.”
(Share on Twitter)
“Clarity leads to certainty.”
I almost gave up finishing the 8K run because I lacked clarity about the distance markers and felt demotivated I was falling behind. Because of lack of clarity, I was also distracted. I spent some energy thinking about my exit strategy instead of using that energy to drive me to the finish line.
Lack of clarity can cause problems in many aspects of our lives. It can lead to demotivation, disconnection, and feeling lost.
In relationships, not understanding the needs and love language of the people we care about can create disconnection.
In the workplace, lack of clarity about work responsibilities and organizational goals can lead to demotivation and lack of productivity.
These problems can be avoided by seeking clarity and asking questions. Don’t let lack of clarity hold you back from achieving your goals and building meaningful relationships.
Call to ACTION
In your personal relationships, is there something you need clarity on with someone?
In the workplace, do you feel lost and demotivated?
Is there something you would like to ask your leader?
As a leader, is there something you need to ask your team members?
When in doubt, seek clarity. 🙂
I wish you fearless possibilities!
Sha Nacino
Keynote Speaker l Author l Adjunct Faculty, Asian Institute of Management
P.S.1 Is your team struggling with disengagement due to lack of clarity and direction? Are you worried about losing your top performers? Don’t let this issue go unaddressed! As a speaker, I specialize in empowering individuals and teams to thrive through challenges and uncertainty. Book me for your next event at https://shanacino.com/ or email us at info@shanacino.com and let’s transform your team’s performance!
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