Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays, I like to share experiences from my week—both with patients and in my personal life—that have left a meaningful impact. My hope is that these reflections offer you something of value, a bit of insight or encouragement that resonates with your own journey and inspires you in some way.
A lesson I learned. When I was about nine years old, I was at the beach with my family while the adults gathered away from the water enjoying themselves. As I read a comic book, I looked up and noticed a small boy, maybe two years old, wandering into the surf wearing a life jacket. Within seconds, he fell face down and began floating away, arms flailing in panic. Instinctively, I ran into the water, swam out, and pulled him to shore. Though he was frightened, thankfully he was safe. My child’s mind worried I might somehow be blamed, so I said nothing to anyone and simply built sandcastles with him until his parents returned.
That day taught me an invaluable lesson about trusting my instincts and taking decisive action. Sometimes we’re faced with moments where hesitation could cost dearly—where doing nothing isn’t an option we can live with. Seeing that little boy float away, I instinctively knew it was up to me to act or endure the consequences of inaction forever. I’ve carried that lesson throughout my life, especially in tense situations. When something feels urgent and important, I remind myself to listen to that inner voice and act with purpose. Trust your gut—it’s often wiser than you realize.
Something that helps me. When I was younger, I relied heavily on motivation. I needed to feel inspired to study, train, or push myself in business. But over time, especially through personal challenges, setbacks, and demanding races, I began to realize that motivation is unreliable and will come and go. Depending on how I felt made progress inconsistent and tied my results to emotion rather than discipline. What changed everything for me was understanding that I didn’t need motivation to do amazing things—I just needed commitment and consistent action.
Today, I focus on the people who count on me—my family, patients, and players—and that gives me purpose far stronger than fleeting motivation. To serve them well, I must take care of my health, my habits, and my work, no matter how I feel in the moment. The truth is, the most important things in life deserve action, not excuses. Thus, I take a simple approach: like the old Nike slogan says, I just do it. When we stop waiting to feel ready and start doing what must be done, we build strength, confidence, and momentum that no emotion can take away.
An important concept. An important concept. Our nation’s military is the most capable in the world, yet even it cannot fight on every front at once. Doing so would stretch resources thin and expose vulnerabilities that would otherwise not exist. Strategic success requires clarity of focus and deciding which battles matter most and which should be left alone. The same principle applies to each of us in our daily lives.
We all face challenges—personal, professional, financial, and relational that demand time, focus, and energy. When we allow ourselves to become distracted by things we can’t control or drawn into unnecessary drama, we dilute our power and stall progress. Just as a military leader must guard against overextension, we must protect our attention and energy. Concentrating on the few “battles” that truly matter leads to greater effectiveness, peace, and sense of purpose.
A great reminder. My 16-year-old son came to me last week and told me he was going to sign up and run the Colfax Marathon with a friend of his. He’d never shown much interest in running with me during my ultra-marathon career, so I was surprised but excited. Later that week, he mentioned a few adults telling him he couldn’t handle the training or the event itself and wanted my thoughts. I laughed and gave him three pieces of advice.
First, you never meet any haters that are doing more than you. People that have accomplished little always tell you what they think you can’t handle because they don’t have a vision for greatness. Second, preparing for something like a marathon is the true destination. The race itself is the cherry on top, while the training is the special part. It strengthens you, teaches you about yourself, and unlocks potential you never knew you possessed. Finally, once you have achieved a difficult goal, you become so much more resilient in daily life thereafter. When stressful situations find you, you’ll remember you’ve done hard things before and it will calm and re-focus you. Hearing my son talking about doing something out of his comfort zone reminded me of how fun, exciting, and worthwhile things like that can be.
Some quotes I Love.
“When you pray for rain, you have to deal with the mud too.” – Denzel Washington in The Equalizer
“If they don’t appreciate your presence, let them appreciate your absence.”
“Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” – Josh Fahey