Separate Self Worth from your Results
that’s runnable
The 16th Edition of your favourite running newsletter
Welcome back to your weekly dose of run chat.
A quick read of insightful tips and thoughts to help you with your running.
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Too often, I speak to runners who tie their self worth or identity to how they perform as a runner. Although pushing yourself to achieve great results can be both fun and pride inducing, it’s important that we separate our identity and self worth from the results we get.
Something to Think About
Every run has a different outcome—some days you feel great, some days you feel like your legs are made of led. Given the work you put in, it’s easy to define yourself by your pace or race results, but as I say often, running is about more than the numbers. What if the true accomplishment is in showing up consistently, regardless of performance?
Something to Ask Yourself
Do you base some of your self-worth on how fast or far you can run? How do you feel when you have a bad run—do you see it as a reflection of your abilities? What would happen if you focused more on the joy of running than just on the results?
Article of the Week 📄
This article by Dr. Adia Gooden explores how to cultivate unconditional self-worth, which is distinct from self-esteem and not based on achievements or validation from others. It offers practical steps like self-forgiveness, self-acceptance, self-compassion, and connecting with supportive people. The goal is to shift away from tying your worth to accomplishments, thereby fostering a deep sense of worthiness simply for being human. You will learn how embracing unconditional self-worth can improve mental well-being and empower personal growth.
Track of the Week 🎶
Given the release of his new album, I’ve been on a bit of a Floating Points deep dive this week. Hard to choose one, but this week’s Track of the Week is:
Bias by Floating Points (2019)
Personal Lesson
I used to judge myself harshly after every run that didn’t go as planned. A slower pace or a tough training session would make me feel like I wasn’t as good as I wanted to be. I was less than the runner I wanted to be, so I wasn’t “good enough”. Eventually, though, I realised this wasn’t a very enjoyable way to live.
It’s so important to balance a drive to improve with self love and acceptance. It’s good to always want to better yourself. One of the main reasons I spend so much of my time and energy putting out free content to help people with their running is because I fundamentally believe there is value in self improvement. But it is just as important to be proud of who you are now.
The person you are now is the person creating who you want to be. It’s thanks to you, now, that one day you will reach the goals you strive for.
Running is about more than just hitting PRs—it’s about the commitment to keep going, even on the hard days. When I started valuing the process of running itself, not just the outcomes, I became more resilient and enjoyed running more.
Running – Life’s Metaphor
The longer I do this running thing, the more I realise it’s about the process so much more than it is about the results. When we reach our goals, in running and in life, we’re still left wanting. It’s human nature. We will always want more when we get what we think we want. But what we need is available to us right here, right now, in the process.
Final Thoughts
In running, it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers: race times, miles logged, personal records. We often believe that hitting a new milestone will somehow complete us—that achieving a certain result will finally bring the satisfaction we’ve been chasing. But the truth is, this mindset can quickly lead to disappointment. The finish line will always move further as we set newer, more ambitious goals. We’re wired as humans to want more, to push harder, and to constantly strive for bigger achievements. And while that drive is what propels us forward, it can also trap us in a cycle of never feeling quite enough.
What we often overlook is the person we already are—the person who shows up each day, laces up the shoes, and puts in the effort, whether it’s a good day or a bad one. That version of you, the one training and persevering through setbacks, deserves just as much love and respect as the one who stands at the starting line on race day. The results don’t define your worth. They’re just a snapshot, a fleeting moment in time. What matters is the consistency, the resilience, and the dedication of your present self.
Yes, set those intimidating goals. Chase the big dreams. But remember, the person striving for those goals is the one who truly matters. Fall in love with that version of yourself, the one who gets up and tries, who embraces the process, and who learns from every step. Because even when the results come, the hunger for more won’t go away. It’s who we are. But when you learn to love the person you are right now, you create a foundation of self-worth that no finish line can take away.