I did the half last year and I can’t say I enjoyed it much. It felt like a great achievement when I finally crossed the finish line but I immediately countered that feeling with a bunch of ‘what ifs’.
I wish I done more hill training, I should have run fasted like I did on my training runs.
How did a coach like me run 13 miles with such a negative mindset. If I’d had believed I could enjoy it then I would have enjoyed it. Instead I ran screaming ‘I can’t do this. This is too hard’ both in my head and out loud when I passed my supporters.
I should have started towards the back of the field and therefore not had people overtaking me the whole way round which was a psychological killer.
The list went on and on.
As it was, I finished in a memorable 2 hours 22 minutes. So why am I down playing what was actually a great achievement for a busy, 39 year old mum of three young children?
And this then got me thinking about what I’ve done in my life that I’m really, really proud of. If running a half marathon didn’t feel like a great achievement for me, then what does?
My marriage. Yes. Those three kids. Of course. Work... (scratches head)
And I realised that one of my greatest work achievements actually had nothing to do with work work at all.
It was wasn’t to do with leading the team or delivering the strategy or designing a sparkling campaign. It was a tiny side project where I took charge of transforming a dumping ground at the end of the office - depressingly known by all as The Graveyard - and making it into a useable breakout meeting space that we all desperately needed.
Everyone loved to complain about The Graveyard but no one did anything about it.
We were hoarding decades worth of rubbish there because no one thought they had enough time to decide if it was worth keeping or was brave enough to throw it away/recycle it/find it a permanent home.
And because it was ok to just leave things there it got worse and worse.
So i can only blame it on the nesting period of my third pregnancy when I took this tiny (but equally huge) project on because the area made me feel sad and because it was, quite frankly, embarrassing. I could see the potential in that bleak, unloved space.
So I pulled together a small team, we met, we planned, we collaborated, we consulted and slowly (very slowly) the space started to change.
And then I had my baby six weeks early and I remember sending a message from my hospital bed begging the team to keep up the momentum as we were so close to getting it finished.
And a few months later I took my tiny baby into work to show him off and I’ll never forget seeing three separate groups using the new space exactly as I’d imagined it.
The clutter had gone.
The new furniture was exactly that, new.
It was buzzing and so was I.
So, what made this feel like such a great achievement?
It only happened because I made it happen. It wasn’t one of my objectives but something told me it was important. We weren’t getting pay rises or bonuses so small things like this, that made doing your job easier, more enjoyable, made a big difference.
It was so tangible. A place so grim we called it The Graveyard was transformed into a vibrant, usable workspace. The new furniture was colourful. The organisation had invested in the space that we spent eight hours a day in. We felt a little bit more valued.
I've learnt that achievements come in all shapes and sizes and something I’m starting to recognise is that you might be surprised by the ones that you value most.
So, maybe take some time this week to think about what achievement you’re most proud of and why and be warned, it might not be the obvious thing.
And then use it - maybe when you’re making small talk at a networking event or when you are asked about achievements in an interview or have to think of something in one of those slightly awkward away day ice breakers. And notice how it makes you feel talking about it as well as how it is received.
