‘CHEATS’ TO A REWARDING RUNNING LIFE

An article written by Marguerite Ward and featured by CNBC.com, “A 25year-old CEO Shares 9 Career Secrets Every Young Person Should Know”, highlights 9 of 70 “cheats” to getting more out of career and life that were identified by Brian Wong in his book “The Cheat Code”. The young company leader, the co-founder of start-up mobile advertising app Kiip, “fast-tracked his way to success”.  His advice attracted the attention of the cable business channel.
 
In these 9 secrets Wong seems to resurrect time-tested advice that older generations have handed out freely to “young people” for decades (spend less time on entertainment, keep your mind on the task at hand, know and be true to yourself, if everyone is doing something that doesn’t make it right for you, always put your best foot forward, etc.). However, there are 61 additional secrets not discussed in this CNBC.com piece. Are they worth investigating? Are there hidden truths helpful to runners?
 
The 9TH SECRET in the CNBC piece is one that runners can take to heart: “go to museums”!
This last cheat may be a clue that the successful wunderkind’s approach is genuine and fresh, compared with conventional thinking of preceding generations.
 
The article says that “to get inspired about your career and your life, Wong recommends “surrounding yourself with art and history. ‘Museums are one of the greatest cheats of humankind,’ he writes. ‘They're specifically designed to cut to the core of greatness.’ “
 
Runners can find inspiration in the lives, careers, and struggles of the giants in their sport and those of others. The stories reveal how persons who achieved notable success were able to overcome shortcomings, discouragements, poor decisions, bad luck, and physical and mental obstacles. Sometimes the pinnacle of such careers does not involve winning but persevering. These real people had lives that in some fashion may have resembled our own but their perspectives and action may have been outside our consideration. Reading allows us to borrow from their experience and judgement, knowing the outcome in advance.
 
We can ‘cheat’ from the lives of heroes who are not runners as well. Leaders in times of crisis, pioneering scientists, desperate parents, people overcoming crippling injuries or diseases, and those who have survived terrible mishaps, can also provide inspiration and encouragement. Fictional characters living in the pages of novels can also serve this purpose.  The possibilities are endless.  
 
 “Cheat”, borrowed from "cheat codes"  that electronic gamers use to advance their status or point level by using code, or some sort of unit, seems to be another name for “hack”. Both are terms that imply the time to achievement of a task or level of proficiency can be accelerated with a novel trick, skill, or method. Instead of searching the internet, Wong suggests we investigate museums and art galleries  (Earned Runs is adding bookstores, libraries), to find motivational ‘stories’ of greatness to explore further; this can work for running too!
 
NOTE 1: Runner’s World is a publication that often includes inspirational stories specifically aimed at runners. A ‘cheat’ of Wong’s 9th secret might be to pick up a copy at the local magazine stand and read it cover to cover. Even the editors letter. Holding it in your hands is so much better than scrolling down a screen. There are bits of information tucked away between other features that don’t make it to the online version. This magazine has provided me with surges of energy and inspiration so many times I have lost count.  If you cannot make it to a museum, try RW.

NOTE 2: Wong's suggestion deserves a trial. A review will be posted periodically of a book read in the spirit of the Earned Runs version of the 9th career secret  'cheat'.

RUN HAPPY!
 
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/23/a-25-year-old-ceo-shares-9-career-secrets-every-young-person-should-know.html