For years, it was known as an irrefutable fact that a human being could not run a mile in under four minutes. Many explained that the stress on the heart, lungs, legs and other vital organs made it impossible to accomplish this lofty goal. In 1954, Roger Bannister proved the experts wrong and did so again at a later race where not only he but his closest competitor did so as well.

Bannister was able to not only break through the physical barrier but even more important, broke through the mental barrier of commonly accepted knowledge that had held everyone back until he showed them otherwise. Yes, he put a lot of physical effort into accomplishing this impossible task but he also had to convince himself mentally that he could be the first to accomplish this goal if he persisted. He had a clear goal and stayed focused on achieving it.

If you accept the common knowledge that you cannot achieve a goal, then you will certainly live up to that expectation. Don’t let what the “experts” think deter you from success in any endeavor. Dream big, work hard and don’t give up until you achieve your goal whether it is physical, financial or spiritual. You can do it if you break out from the crowd like Bannister and live up to your own values and standards.

Success is within you. Regardless of whether you are an entrepreneur with a startup cleaning business or if you are a successful business owner who has no financial worries at all, you still have your Four Minute Mile challenging you to dig deeper and try just a little harder to achieve a goal that those around you may be convinced is impossible to accomplish. By the way, Bannister’s closest competitor, mentioned earlier, lost the race when he hesitated and looked back. Lesson learned. 

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon.  Until then, keep it clean…

 

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678.314.2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.


posted on 5/17/2013