There’s an important lesson you learn when you’re a long distance runner. All the pain goes away when you stop running. Your blisters stop hurting. Your stressed muscles stop screaming at you.

All the things that hurt start to feel better the instant you stop.

Once you stop, all that’s left is either the shame of not doing your best or the uncontrollable happiness of achieving what you set out to do.

The instant you stop it starts to feel better.

Along the way, you think it’s too much. And it is too much.

You’re banged up, beaten down, sleep-deprived, and in need of food and water.

There are countless reasons to quit. All of them are running through your head.

The pain will go away just a few seconds after you quit. But then you have to deal with the shame.

That’s something you’ll remember the rest of your life.

You’ll remember that you talked yourself out of finishing. You’ll remember the negativity and fear that you let control you.

You’ll remember that you could have held on a little bit longer.

One more step. One more mile. One more hour.

Right now you’re likely facing your own big challenge. And you’re not sure if you have enough within you to keep going.

You are questioning whether continuing on will be worth it. You’re frustrated and beaten down.

You just want the pain to go away. And it will.

Make no mistake: the pain will go away. And when it does, all you’ll be left with is either shame or accomplishment.

The choice is yours. Hold on. Fight on.

Keep moving towards where you want to be. Don’t quit yet.