Who’s Driving Your Decisions?

A dashboard vignette

Yesterday, I not only exercised while on the elliptical, but I also multi-tasked and browsed through the October 2013 issue of Runner’s World magazine.

One article that I skimmed was titled, “Going Crazy,” and described the author’s one-time decision to run his first 10-miler “on the morning of the hottest day in weeks without a drink or bite of anything.”

Reading that article reminded me of the time that I, a routine 5K runner, made a spur-of-the-moment decision to run my first 10K race in downtown Raleigh a few years ago.

I remembered the uneasiness that I felt at the start of the race, after hearing two women tell me that they had been preparing for several weeks in advance to run the race.  I also remembered the pinch that I felt in my upper left leg during the race, as I injured myself (I did finish the race in good time but pulled my quadricep, which required a physical therapy visit and a two-week rest).

In his article, the “Going Crazy” author revealed that he performed self-examination after making his “crazy” decision and hypothesized that inner nature can often confound our decision-making process, stating:  “Everyone has some inherent nature they have to fight against.  Some people have to try not to be mean.  Some not to be greedy, some lazy, or cynical, or vain.”

I think a bit of youthful vanity may have driven my decision to run a 10K without adequately preparing.

How about you?  When was the last time that you made a “crazy,” spontaneous decision that resulted in unintended consequences, and what were your reasons for making the decision?

In sports, we often hear the phrase, “your real competition is you.”  I agree and think the phrase can also be applied to personal decision-making.

In his song, “12-12-84,” South Carolina native and country music singer David Ball sang it best:  “Time is a teacher.  Oh, and time has taught me well.  What brings a man to his knees is often brought on by himself.”