Welcome to the Channel. So far so good, we have learnt quite a few lessons for a better leading life. However, there are a number of lessons we must learn. Our focus in this episode is "The Crowded Marathoner". In the last episode, we considered The Spirit of a Marathoner. If you missed that particular episode, you will find the link in the description below. The Crowded Marathoner is actually a scenario that is true with many people across the world today. And our intention is to see the possible state of being of such a person and ask if we are also in such state of reality. So, let us go into it.

 

Listen To Podcast: THE CROWDED MARATHONER | FOR A BETTER LEADING YOU

 

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While reflecting on the life of crowded Marathoner, I found certain attributes that are peculiar to a man, a woman who is a crowded marathoner. I am sure you still remember who a marathoner is. Of course, we understood from last edition that a marathoner is different from a sprinter. When you are looking at the marathon race or the marathon competition, you are seeing a competition with quite a number of people. Now when you see a competition that has so much people, you could quickly conclude that “this is a crowded competition.”

 

What is the possible state of mind or state of being of a man, of a woman who is in a crowded competition? I found a few things that could actually characterize or distinguish a man in a crowded competition from other people. Everyone in a race is in a competition, whether it is the 100meters dash or whatever it is. One thing is clear, a marathon race is not about shortness of distance, it is about long distance. When you enter a marathon race, you are in for a long haul. What are the things that I have realized that are possible for a man, a woman in a crowded competition?

 

When you look at the picture of a crowded marathoner, there are certain things I believe you would see, and those are the things we want to consider today, and perhaps somebody somewhere is listening or watching this broadcast could find a link between the picture of a crowded marathoner and his or her own life. So, what are the things that I have seen, looking at the crowded marathoner?

 

The first thing I have noticed about the crowded marathoner is uncertainty. What is uncertainty? It is a situation when a man is not sure of the outcome of an event, there is an uncertainty. When something is happening and you are not clear about the end of what is going on, then there is uncertainty. Consider a man, a woman in a marathon competition that is crowded, there is this tendency from such a person to be uncertain about the chances that he or she has in winning the competition.

 

Apart from uncertainty, I realized also that there is a lack of space or opportunity for the crowded marathoner. Supposing you are in a race, a 100 meters dash, you will notice that each one in the competition is entitled to a track. So, there are at least seven tracks for the athletes. So, each contestant has a lane allocated to him or her in the race. And so, there is no need for struggling for space with other people. Why? Because you have your own lane allocated to you. But in a crowded marathon race, there is absolutely no opportunity for space for each person. So, the whole place is crowded and every is jostling ad everyone is competing for space.

 

Apart from lack of space or opportunity, I also realize that the crowded marathoner has fear. You might not see it physically, but there is an inherent fear in a crowded marathoner. The crowded marathoner is afraid of what could happen to him or her due to lack of space. Apart from being afraid of the possible outcome of lack of space, a crowded marathoner is also afraid of the uncertainty. Now, if the marathoner is sure that he will win or she will win, then there would be no fear because of uncertainty, because there is no space, no opportunity to shine or to express himself or herself, the crowded marathoner is afraid.

 

Apart from fear, the other thing that I saw and have noticed looking at a crowded marathoner is stampede. Now, stampede normally happens when a crowd moves in a direction. And so, when such happens, there is a chance for somebody to mistakenly hit another person or become a stumbling block for another. And so, when anyone in a crowded competition falls down, others are likely going to ride over such. And so, a crowded marathoner is not only faced with uncertainty, lack of space and fear, a crowded marathoner is also faced with stampede.

 

The last thing I noticed looking at the picture of a crowded marathoner is “The who Am I To Ever Win Syndrome.”  There is the possibility for a crowded marathoner to think because there are so many people around him or her, then there is little or no chance for him or her to ever win the competition. And so, when you look at a crowded marathoner from a far, these are the things that you would see. You would see uncertainty, you would see lack of space or opportunity, you would see fear, you would see stampede and you would see “Who Am I To Ever Win Syndrome.” 

 

Moving on from that picture, I want you to look at your life. Have you realized that your life is also like that of a crowded marathoner? Have you realized that you are one in a million or one in millions? Have you realized that the kind of jobs you are doing, the kind of work you are doing, there are thousands perhaps millions of other people doing it? Have you found yourself that the same ministry that you are doing, there are many people doing the same? Have you realized that the field of your specialty is also the field that other people are in?

 

Now, if you look at those things, you would realize that just like the crowded marathoner, you are also a crowded man or a woman in a crowded space. Looking at the crowded marathoner and looking at your life, I am sure it is clear to you that there are some uncertainties around your life. I am sure you have realized that you have not been able to express yourself the way you would love due to lack of space of opportunity. I am sure you have also found out that you have some fear in you. I am sure you are also aware that you are always conscious of possible stampede. Looking at your life, you are also aware that you have had this issue of asking the question, “who am I to ever succeed in life? Who am I to ever win? Who am I to ever lead?” I am sure you have been confronted with such over the last few period.

 

If you will agree with me that your life and the life of a crowded marathoner has some similarities, pperhaps you have realized that out of the five things I mentioned, just two or three are actually correct with your life. One thing is clear, there is something about your life that connects you with the crowded marathoner. Have you realized also that in a marathon race, there is always a winner? So even though the marathon begins with so much crowd, there is always a winner. And there are winners because for some people, being able to get the third position in the marathon competition is winning. For some, being second is winning. For some being number one is winning.

 

Whether you are the third or second or first, you want to be among the winners. If you have realized that even though a competition could be crowded yet, certain people win. You must understand that in spite of your uncertainty, in spite of the lack of space or opportunity, in spite of the fear of possible stampede, in spite of the syndrome of who am I to ever win? In spite of all that, there are possibilities for you to win in a crowded competition.

 

So, even though there are little or no chances for success, even though there are so much uncertainty in the air, even though you are afraid, even though you could be stepped on by others, even though you have this attitude, that can you ever win? I want to tell you that actually you can win. You see, dealing with the issue from the last. If you ask yourself “who am I to ever win?”  I will ask you, who are you not to win? Don’t fixate on why you shouldn’t win. I want you to begin to think that you should be the one that would win. You should succeed. You should become a better person. If others have been failing does not mean you should fail because in the same competition that you are in, some are succeeding. So, it should be you that will be a success.

 

Another thing you must understand is that thinking about stampede does not actually necessarily mean that there will be stampede. Because some people are stampeded upon does not mean that you will be stepped on also. I want you to remember it is only a person who falls that is walked on by others. So, have this attitude that you will not fall, that you will rise above the challenges. You will move on in spite of the pressure around you. You will move on. You will not fall.

 

Again, thinking about your fear, almost everybody has some fear but in spite of fear, most people that succeed have actually learnt how to overcome their fear or how to use their fear to their own advantage. You could because of your fear actually experience more success than you would have without fear. You could use you fear to do much more, to achieve much more than you would have without any fear.

 

Again, thinking about lack of space, of course there may be little or no space for you but you can create a space for yourself. You can determine the degree of opportunities that you have all around you. If no one gives you opportunity, you can create opportunities. If nobody gives you space. You can create a space for yourself in your own industry, in your own establishment, in your own organization.

 

Again, talking about uncertainty; being able to move around uncertainties, being able to create certainty in uncertainty could also be the difference between those who are succeeding and those who are failing. I want you to look at those things I have mentioned about a crowded marathoner, talking about uncertainty, lack of space, fear, stampede, who am I to ever win syndrome? Now look at them and ask yourself, “can’t I overcome all these challenges? Of course, I am in a crowded competition, I am in a crowded industry, I am in a crowed environment. But that doesn’t mean I cannot win. That doesn’t mean I cannot experience success. I can actually succeed. I can be better. I can have an edge in the midst of everything and everyone around me.”

 

How can I do it? I can create certainty within my uncertainty. I can create my own space if no one gives me space. I can use my fear to my own advantage and if I do not fall, I don’t have to be afraid of stampede. And why should it never be me? If every other person is succeeding, why can’t I succeed? I shouldn’t tell myself I cannot do it. I can do it!

 

So, if you move on with all that, I believe even though you are in a crowed competition, you can achieve success. No longer should you be telling yourself. I am in crowded space. I am in crowded territory. I am in crowded sphere. You can actually achieve success if you turn around these five things that characterize crowded marathoner and make everything to fall in place for yourself. The fact that you are in a crowed competition, you are in a crowded situation does not mean you will fail. If you fail, it is because you have refused to take responsibility for your life and for your future. 

 

Again, don’t forget you can create certainty out of uncertainty. You can create your own opportunities. You can use your fear to your own advantage. If you do not fall, you don’t have to be afraid of stampede. And in case you ever think “who are you to ever win?” Then I will ask you “who are you not to win?” 

 

I am sure like the crowded marathoner, many of us are facing challenges in our lives. So much uncertainty, lack of opportunity or space for expression or for maximizing your potentials, fear so much, afraid of stampede and we are asking questions, can we ever succeed? I believe just like the winning marathoners; you have realized that you can turn this all around. I believe you will do it and I am sure as you do it, you will have a better experience and then you will see a better leading you.

 

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Thank you and bye for now!

 

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Gboyega ADEDEJI!

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