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.
An important concept. “Slow and steady wins the race” is a saying we’ve all heard. As someone who has participated in many races, I can assure you that slow rarely wins anything. Steady, however, is invaluable. Whether in athletics, business, relationships, or personal growth, success is often determined by your ability to maintain a sustainable pace over a long period of time. Life is not won through occasional bursts of effort followed by long periods of inactivity. Instead, it is won by consistently showing up, doing the work, and continuing to move forward when others become distracted, discouraged, or inconsistent. Over time, that steady effort compounds into greater confidence, competence, and results.
I like to think of steady people as those who consistently give A-level effort, regardless of the outcome. They may not always win, but you never question their work ethic, commitment, or standards. Their pace is built on habits such as being punctual, following through on commitments, caring for their health, practicing their craft, and doing the little things well repeatedly. Just as a runner must find a pace they can sustain, each of us must establish routines and behaviors that support long-term success. If you’re making progress and moving toward your goals, your pace is probably serving you well. Conversely, If you’ve fallen behind, don’t panic. Simply make the adjustments necessary to pick it up and keep moving forward. It’s not about being the fastest for a moment; it’s being steady enough to finish strong.
An important question. When I encounter a major setback or challenge, I often ask myself a simple question: “Did you think you were going to win by forfeit?” Whether the issue involves my business, family, health, finances, or something completely unexpected, the question remains the same. In sports you would never expect to win because an opponent never showed up. Victory will require a worthy adversary that forces you to prepare, exert yourself, and compete when things get difficult. In life, it’s easy to become frustrated when obstacles appear, as though we expected success without opposition.
That’s why that simple question helps me quickly regain perspective. It reminds me that being a good person, working hard, and doing my best does not exempt me from challenges. Difficulties are part of the game and the price we pay to achieve the things that matter most. Every worthwhile goal comes with foes in the form of setbacks, disappointments, mistakes, uncertainty, and/or adversity. Some will be relatively easy to overcome, while others will brutally test us. The key is to remember that challenges are not evidence that you’re on the wrong path; they’re a signal you’re in the game. When life places a difficult opponent in front of you, stay positive, remain diligent, and keep moving forward. Always remember, no one wins by forfeit.
Something I believe. There are moments in life that require us to step far outside our comfort zone and accept a significant amount of risk. Starting a business, moving to a new state, ending a relationship, pursuing a major athletic goal, or making any meaningful life change are all examples. I like to call these “tightrope walks.” In other words, the outcome is uncertain, and there is high probability it will end in either triumph or failure. That uncertainty is what causes many people to hesitate. Yet, I’ve come to believe that these “tightrope walks” are a great place to be. That is because extraordinary results rarely come from staying where it is comfortable and familiar.
Oddly enough, I have come to find the possibility of failure less scary than it used to be for me. If something carries the potential for disappointment, it also brings the potential for something truly amazing. High stakes mean the opportunity is meaningful and I view these situations much like a championship game. If things go well, the reward can be life changing. In the event they don’t, the experience still provides invaluable lessons, perspective, and motivation going forward. Either way, there is value in stepping onto the tightrope.
A good reminder. My wife and I were recently watching a home remodeling competition show where one team consistently found themselves behind schedule. They often failed to complete aspects of the projects they had planned, leaving rooms looking incomplete and lackluster. One thing that stood out to me was that they would stop working to talk to each other about everything they still had left to do. As the workload piled up, so did their frustration, which only seemed to make them less productive. Watching this reminded me that when a challenge feels overwhelming, we often become so focused on the size of the problem that we lose sight of the next step needed to solve it.
I’ve found that when something feels daunting, the best question I can ask myself is, “What is the next thing I’m capable of doing right now?” Much like in endurance running, I don’t worry about how much of the race is left; I just focus on the next few feet of trail. Even small action creates momentum and shifts my attention away from stress and toward progress. Often, feeling overwhelmed isn’t caused by the amount we must do. Rather, it is the result of staring at everything all at once and becoming paralyzed. Success in almost any area of life comes from breaking large challenges into manageable pieces and then getting to work. When in doubt, stop talking so much and worrying about everything that’s left to do; just get to work.
Some quotes I Love.
“The easy road leads nowhere you want to be.”
“One bold move can rewrite your entire story, so take the risk.” – Ash Dykes