The next time someone insults you, gives you a dirty look, talks badly about you behind your back…put it in your pocket and keep it. Use those instances to fuel your fire to achieve your dreams or become who you were meant to be. As they say “haters gonna hate,” so you might as well turn around and use that energy to propel you forward instead of allowing it to cripple you.

There are times when you are going to fail, make a mistake, or be mediocre at times, but don’t allow those hurdles to keep you from running your race. It just means you have to work a little harder, jump a little higher, and stretch yourself a little further. It isn’t others opinions that hold us back from achieving our dreams, it’s most often ourselves. We listen to those voices that are full of negativity and think that we can’t do it so we might as well give up or not try.

I like to run. Now, I’m not that great at running, but I do enjoy it. I enjoy challenging myself to push my physical limitations to increase my endurance to run a littler further and a little faster each time my feet hit the pavement. I also like to run in races because it gives me a challenge and a goal to work towards. It takes time, training, a great music play list, proper shoes, and a good attitude to continually pound the pavement even on the days that I just don’t want to run. Those moments when I don’t want to lace up the Brooks or to feel my lungs burning from the cold air, I remind myself of those times when others didn’t think that I could or the times when I felt mediocre and I use that energy to sprint a little faster towards my workout goals.

This is how we should chase our dreams.

We should not let the fear of putting in the work to achieve our dreams or the success that may come in the end when it is finally achieved. Every day remind yourself of your goals and why you want them even on those days you don’t feel like working on them. As well as don’t let the thoughts of others hold you back from running your race and don’t compare yourself to others because everyone has a different race that they are running. More importantly, don’t let success and what it will ask of you keep you stuck living in mediocrity. You were meant to live a life worthy of the calling that you have received which means dream big and do big things! (Ephesians 4:1)

Lace up those shoes, let the whispers of doubt fuel your fire, and pound the pavement to get closer to your dreams. Ready. Set. Run!

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.  No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.  –1 Corinthians 9:24-27