Sanmarie Crous reflects on a childhood swimming lesson that taught her the importance of pacing and expectation management. At age four, she recalls struggling to reach her instructor in a pool, only for him to retreat each time she neared him, creating a cycle of frustration. This experience, she argues, mirrors how people often approach life’s challenges—fixated on immediate goals while neglecting the long-term journey. “More often than not, the things we do in life… are more like marathons than 100m sprints,” she writes, emphasizing the need to prepare emotionally and physically for sustained effort rather than rushing toward fleeting milestones.
Her reflection is prompted by a recent meeting where attendees appeared drained, seemingly trapped in a pattern of prioritizing urgent tasks over rest and personal fulfillment. She draws a parallel between this behavior and the instructor’s method, suggesting that without intentional pacing, individuals risk burning out before reaching meaningful destinations. As August transitions into September, Crous urges readers to reevaluate their approach to life’s “marathon,” advocating for balance—priorit