The 4-Minute Mile

Hello! It’s mid-week and hopefully you have some great plans in the works. Come Friday, be sure to take a moment to think about the week and take some pride in the things that you accomplished, big or small.

In a previous post I talked a little bit about making mistakes and how we can find valuable discoveries in those mistakes. In this post, I’d like to get us thinking about greatness.

In May of 1954, a man named Roger Bannister was the first man to run a mile in under 4 minutes. This changed the world, because before Roger Bannister no human being had ever run a mile in less than 4 minutes. The experts said that a human being could never break the 4 minute barrier. Yet it was done by this man from Harrow, England.

However incredible an accomplishment as this was, the most amazing part of this event occurs after. By 1959, an additional 24 people broke the 4 minute mile. This is a story about belief. The belief that it could be done allowed others to do it. How powerful is that?

Sir Roger Bannister

Now, achieving great things sometimes requires a great person or a pioneer to prove the capacity for greatness. We have to get our minds around the things we want to accomplish, because that’s where greatness comes from. And until we believe, a lot of things just don’t happen. Any of us can be that pioneer if we simply choose to be.

I know that life gets busy and hectic, and you might be reading this and thinking “That’s great Jamie, and you’re telling me about Roger Bannister and 1954 but I don’t have the energy.” But that’s the key…you have to get the energy. You need to take it day by day and keep working at it. It requires old fashioned effort.

How do we get that greatness? How do we be a Roger Bannister? It’s about work ethic and attitude. It’s about making good mistakes and then making better mistakes tomorrow. Roger Bannister never would have broken the 4 minute mile if he didn't have a positive work ethic. We have to be willing to put in the time to be great, and to persevere when things aren't going well. It’s about working hard, but also working smart. And it’s about believing in greatness.

When you believe in what you’re willing to do, in the goals that you’re able to achieve, and that you have the energy to create personal and intellectual wealth, others will follow. Greatness comes from persistence. It’s not about giving up…it’s about moving forward and knocking down the walls that are put in front of you.

Do you need to run a 4 minute mile to be great? Nope. You only need to be the best that you can be. It’s about you, doing what you do best. And only you know what that is. When you grab it, it will change your world and very possibly the world of those around you. Greatness comes from the right mindset and the right thoughts. Thoughts are just things, but beliefs make them real. And your actions solidify your beliefs. This is important, and what I’m trying to say is “do something every single day to make your actions represent your beliefs”. Protect yourself from negative thoughts. See the opportunities that present themselves and pursue them.

One final thought. All of us need somebody. Make sure you have the right people around you. Roger Bannister couldn't have broken the 4 minute mile if he didn't have great coaches and great people around him pushing him toward his greatness. Make sure you have people pushing you toward greatness and not pulling you toward mediocrity. 

Best,

Jamie