The Run That Changed Everything

WAKE-UP CALL

Ten years ago, I went for a run. My first run ever. Three blocks in, I found myself hunched over on the curb, gasping for air. I could still see my house. As the friend I was running with checked on me, I thought to myself, “This is it. This is where I die.” (dramatic, I know)

Pathetic. Embarrassing. Frustrating. “I used to be an athlete. How did I get here?”
But it was the wake-up call I needed.

I looked healthy but I wasn't (turns out skinny does not equal healthy). I was drifting, in a number of areas. Making excuses instead of decisions. Settling for comfort. Neglecting what I knew was necessary.

That day, I had a choice: Let the embarrassment be my excuse to quit. Or let it be the reason I started.

Since then: 575 runs. 1,984 miles. In the last couple of years I’ve also added in working out/lifting weights, and have worked out 664 of the last 668 days.

How? One decision at a time. When I decide to run or lift, I honor it. No negotiation. No excuses. For most of my life, nobody would’ve described me as disciplined. Today, they do. Getting better starts with one decision.

But here's what I discovered: The discipline I built in fitness didn't stay in fitness. It spread everywhere. Better decisions in my marriage. Clearer boundaries at work. More confidence in leadership. Less anxiety about the future.

The pattern was simple: Stop drifting. Start deciding. Honor the decision.

📌 QUOTE OF THE WEEK "We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret." - Jim Rohn

TWO ANCHORS

🧠 INSIGHT: Drift always leads to dissatisfaction. Where are you dissatisfied? Health, marriage, career, finances, purpose? That's your signal. That's your starting line. You don’t fix everything, you work on one thing.

💪 DISCIPLINE: Discipline isn't a personality trait - it's a skill. Start ridiculously small. When I started working out, I began with 25 push-ups and sit-ups daily and built from there. It was something I could do daily to build confidence and momentum. Too often we go extreme and end up doing nothing.

NO DRIFT CHALLENGE

This week: Pick one small thing and do it every day. Walk. Lift. Call or send an encouraging text to a friend. Read for 10 minutes. Wake up 15 minutes earlier. Something to move you in the right direction. Decisions repeated over time become our habits.

The goal isn't perfection. It's proving to yourself that you can make a decision and honor it. That you can be reliable for yourself.

Nobody will know if you did it but you. Be trustworthy for yourself.

I’d love to hear what challenge you take on this week. Reply to this email to let me know. Even better, post it on Instagram and tag @no.drift. Let’s build a community of encouragement there.

WHAT'S NEXT

Discomfort is a gift. Dissatisfaction is a signal. Discipline is the path.

You were made for more than average. Let’s chase our best this week.

For you,
Kevin

Thanks for reading this. Share it with anybody you think would find it useful. And as a reminder, NO DRIFT is not mine it is ours. I want to know what you think, what you want to hear about, what you are learning. All feedback is welcomed.