I have something encouraging to say to any who strive for something but fail.

Let me start by saying that, due to a recent birthday, I am not a young man anymore.

But I still exercise with some regularity.

It’s been a long time since I was able to run 1 mile in 8 minutes or less. But that is one of my goals for this year. I’m currently clocking somewhere around the mid 9-minute range.

I’ve been focused on trying to get the first of four laps (on an actual track) down to 2 minutes. So not long ago I ran that first lap in 2:08. It practically killed me, but a week later, I set the new goal of 2:07 for that first lap. And I did it! But again, it was very challenging, and I had no ability to continue at that pace for the remaining 3 laps.

The next week I set the goal for 2:06 for the first lap. But I failed. Big Time. I actually clocked a 2:08 — 2 seconds slower than my goal. I was demoralized.

The week after that I was super determined to run that first lap in 2:06, and although I was moving at a very fast pace for most of that first lap, I failed again and clocked it at 2:08 again! I was very demoralized. I was actually angry and frustrated. I started to doubt myself and felt I just didn’t have it anymore. It was tempting to give up and set my goals more modestly.

A week later I tried again, determined more than ever to maintain that intense pace for the entire first lap. My goal (again) was 2:06.

I am happy to say I ran it in 2:03.

But then, more recently, I failed again. Twice! My first failure, two weeks ago, caused me to run out of fuel entirely after the second lap. I simply had no energy and could not even finish the last two laps. Then, last week, I completely crashed after the first lap. I was spent and I was unable to even complete anything beyond the 440 yards of the first lap.

But today, running in 95-degree heat, I actually set a personal best – not on any of the individual laps involved, but in terms of the overall time for 1 mile which I ran in 9:08 (11 seconds faster than my previous personal best.)

What did I learn? And what can you learn from my story?

Simply this: NEVER give up! Even if you flounder. Even if you fail several more times. Know in your heart that the past does not need to equal the future. With dogged determination, with steely resolve, with an unconquerable spirit, there is a high likelihood (not an absolute guarantee) that you will eventually smash through the walls of your own self-imposed limitations and surprise yourself. I do not have any illusions that I can keep this up forever, because, as I said, I’m not a young man anymore.

But I do believe very firmly that I have some internal scores to settle, some private accomplishments to attain, some personal Everests to vanquish.

And so do you.