What's in a number?

The power of numbers/a number is more significant than we think.

Example: Age, salary, race time, etc.

To me these are prime examples where perspective can be negative or positive, depending on how you look at it.

Limitations, stereotypes, and other negative thoughts can creep in when we focus on a number. 

For example, there are doubters/critics when age is thrown in the mix for a runner, specifically a female.  Also, depending on your time and results in races, negative connotation will follow.

On another note, the larger the salary, the better you are, right?!

All of things are relative and the power of perspective is important in the world that we live in.  My suggestion/tip is to learn what's behind that number.  

In the world of running, I've found that age is just a number and that hard work is a powerful thing.  Hard work and determination can transform any situation into a success story. 

I've also learned that a race result can be negative depending on how you look at it.

For example: My good friend, Meredith, just competed in her 2nd Half IRONMAN event!  She also works a full-time job in NYC and continues to train full-time.  Talk about balance.  This second race proved to be a challenge mentally, physically, and emotionally.  Her back acted up during the swim (not the best place to start) and various other things went wrong, but she finished!  Her story inspires me.  If you just looked at her time would you know her story?  Probably not!

And for me, my latest 5k I ran a 19:23.  And that is not my best time, by far.  Some would call that slow... What you may not know is that after battling a toe injury for a year, anemia for months, being sick the week before, and the race ended up being 3.19, I am proud of that result and finishing overall female.

You see, sometimes it's learning the story behind the number because we tend to judge otherwise.  We even judge ourselves.

I've thoroughly enjoyed learning all the stories of my friends, athletes, and teammates on Oiselle.  They inspire me because they have stories, they have a perspective.  They have come a long way.  Those are the stories behind the number.