The Impossible Four Minute Mile

It is impossible to run a four minute mile. 

 This was a global belief for some 3,000 years. Athlete and Trainer alike knew you could not run a four minute mile. The belief would not change until the twentieth Century when Roger Bannister proved 3,000 years of belief to be wrong as he broke the 4-minute mile. It was May 6, 1954. He believed it could be done. He did it. Today the one mile world time record sits at 3 minutes 43.13 seconds set in 1999.

 Belief is the underpinning of all that we do. Limited belief prevented 3,000 years of athletic progress. The limits of our belief stops us too. I will not do anything that I don’t believe in. You will not do anything that you don’t believe in. So goes the world. 

 If you believe something to be true and it is not true the false belief wins over truth all the time. That is, until the false belief is replaced with truth. 

 Surely there is something in this story for all of us. 

 Bannister took in new knowledge. It changed his thinking. It set him on the path to victory over the 4-minute mile obstacle. The new knowledge set his sight on establishing habits that could overcome the 4-minute mile challenge. The thoughts didn’t do it. The words didn’t do it. The actions didn’t do it. The new habits did it. The habits began with the thoughts based in new knowledge.

 This is how it works for all of us. The Bible says, ‘Think on these things’. Yes. Think about it. The Christian way begins with thoughts based in new knowledge surrounding eternal truths. Think about what we believe to be true. It probably isn’t all true! True or not, thoughts eventually becomes words. Words become actions. Actions repeated frequently enough become habits. Life is built upon habits. Most habits aren’t that good!

 At every turn someone is telling us to establish better habits. Health professionals tell us to exercise regularly, to exercise the brain, be socially active etc. There is little movement on the ‘new habit’ side practice arena. No one commits to new habits until they first believe that the habits will lead to a more meaningful way of living. Belief is scarce.

 Getting new information based in truth is the place to start. Get new belief. Follow this with the introduction of habits built off the new knowledge. Intentional or not life changes will be imminent.  

Can’t think of a better place to get new knowledge based on eternal truths than on a Sunday morning gathered with a Christian community.

 Belief is scarce. Are you preparing to run the four minute mile or to break the world record? The race is on!