What running, injury, and reinvention taught me about lasting change.
Have you ever looked up and thought:
“This isn’t what I planned.”
“This used to work, but it doesn’t anymore.”
Or even, “I don’t know what comes next.”
If so, you’re not alone.
Whether you’re recovering from burnout, rethinking your career, managing a health shift, or just navigating that quiet midlife question, what now?, you’re exactly where you need to be to start your next chapter.
Real change doesn’t start with knowing all the answers.
It starts with one powerful truth:
“Acceptance is the answer to all of my problems today.”
I read that line most mornings.
Some days it feels like wisdom. Other days, like surrender.
But I keep reading it. Because I’ve learned the hard way: the only way forward is through.
The lesson beneath the finish line
Years ago, I believed acceptance meant giving up.
If I accepted my limits, I’d stop growing.
If I accepted where I was, I’d be stuck there.
That belief got challenged in my 40s when I started training for endurance events; first marathons, then triathlons.
At 53, I thought I was ready to take on a full Ironman: 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running.
I trained hard. But not smart.
On race day, things unraveled quickly.
Off-course swim, a rough bike, and critical fuel mistakes.
GI issues hit hard.
I made it only 10K into the marathon before I had to stop.
I didn’t finish. But that failure didn’t end me.
It redirected me.
Over the next two years, I trained differently.
Smarter.
Slower.
I got help and rebuilt.
Not just my body, but my mindset.
At 55, I crossed the Ironman finish line.
Beneath the finish line lights, I found something more lasting than achievement:
I found acceptance.
Then Life Shifted Again
At 62, I tore my knee in an encounter with an alligator. (Yes, really.)
Suddenly, the goal wasn’t a finish line.
It was simply learning to start again.
My first recovery runs were one minute long. That was all I could handle.
Over time, one minute became two.
Two became five.
Eventually, those tiny steps led to completing the Maui Oceanfront Marathon.
What those early runs taught me is what I now share with coaching clients in midlife transition.
Because the lessons apply far beyond running.
The ABCs of Change
They sound simple, but they’re definitely not easy.
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When life doesn’t look like it used to, and your next chapter feels unclear, use this framework:
Accept – Start with today’s truth, not yesterday’s story.
Build – One step at a time, from right where you are.
Continue – Keep going. Progress matters more than perfection.
They’re simple, not easy.
And they’re how real change happens; especially in midlife.
In fact, the year I completed the Ironman was also the most successful year of my sales career.
Because I Accepted reality, Built a plan and Continued to work it consistently.
For anyone standing in a midlife transition, this is your story too. |
Whether you're:
Trying to reposition your government experience for private sector work,
Starting over after burnout or layoffs,
Asking, “What now?” after 20 years in one role,
or dealing with a health or identity shift you didn’t ask for,
this story is about you too.
It’s time to let go of “how it used to be”, accept how it is today.
And build your tomorrow.
This Week’s Reflection Prompts:
Take five minutes to write about one of these prompts. There’s no right place to begin, only the courage to begin at all.
Where in your life are you still trying to go it alone, when what you really need is support?
What part of your current reality have you been resisting instead of accepting?
What would “starting small” look like in your life right now?
Where have you seen growth by being patient, rather than pushing?
Write about it. Talk it through. Or sit with it on a quiet walk.
You don’t have to do this alone.
But it starts with you.
P.S. The final line in the daily reading is: “Unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy.”
That’s the truth I keep returning to.
And it’s where real change begins.
Let’s Talk
If you see yourself in this story, if you’ve hit a wall, or you’re quietly trying to start again, I’d be honored to walk alongside you.
I work with people navigating midlife transitions: career shifts, identity resets, reinvention after burnout or unexpected change.
We don’t rush the process. We build it.
One intentional step at a time.
If you’re ready to start—right where you are—let’s talk.
Just reply to this email or visit FocusingOnResults.com to set up a conversation.
You don’t need to figure it all out. You just need to begin.
– Mark
Mark Wigginton, MS, Certified Professional Coach
Helping people like you write the next chapter—one honest step at a time.
📬 MarkW@FocusingOnResults.com
🌐 www.focusingonresults.com
🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn
If this message resonated with you, it might speak to someone else too. Forward it to a friend who’s ready for their next chapter—you never know what kind of shift a few words of encouragement can spark.
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