Last Wednesday, Minneapolis experienced one of the worst air quality days in history.
Canadian wildfires up north contributed to an air quality index that skyrocketed to a mind-boggling 250+ and covered the city in a thick, hazy fog for the majority of the day.
Naturally, most people stayed indoors and played it safe. Afternoon plans got canceled, and the typical after work evening jogs and bike rides were completely out of the question.
But not for everyone…
While most of Minneapolis stayed inside. Mark Dowdle was outside, putting in a 14 mile run.
From Judgment to Respect
I'll admit, when I first saw Mark doing this, my initial reaction was, “why???"
It seemed pretty counterproductive if you asked me. But then it hit me like a ton of bricks. This had nothing to do with physical fitness at all... Let's break it down.
Around 50 days ago, Mark decided to take on the Calendar Club 365 Challenge. It's a challenge where runners run the number of miles equivalent to the date each month for an entire year. No days off.
Yeah, you read that right. If it's the 14th of the month, that means Mark’s running 14 miles that day.
Now, I get it. Running 14 miles on a day on the worst air quality day in history probably isn't the best for your lungs. But here's the thing: Mark made a commitment to himself to complete this challenge. No matter what.
No days off means no days off.
This "nothing can stop me" mindset isn't something you just flip on and off. It's something that's built overtime, and eventually, it becomes part of who you are.
Every time you push through adversity and silence that little voice in your head that says to quit, you build a certain kind of mental endurance and internal confidence to take on anything life throws at you.
After taking a step back, I realized it's not really about the miles ran. But more about what those miles represent. The lessons learned, the self-discovery, and the personal growth that comes from pushing through adversity.
It's You vs You
In the world of entrepreneurship, challenges are inevitable.
You will face setbacks, rejections, and moments when the odds are stacked against you.
Staying consistent, even when the going gets tough, is what separates the dreamers from the doers and the successful from the average.
Like Mark, you too must be willing to go the extra mile and embrace that "nothing can stop me" mindset when adversity arises.
The path to success is rarely a smooth one, but it's the challenges you face and conquer along the way that'll shape you into the resilient and determined entrepreneur you aspire to be.
If you need an extra dose of motivation on your down days go check out Mark's Instagram. He's documenting his journey to 5,767 miles in real time and is super honest about the ups, downs, and what keeps him putting one foot in front of the other.