Change is a Marathon, not a Sprint

Article, U.S. News and World Report, December 27

Millions of us make New Year's resolutions involving personal health, relationships, and career goals. In a recent article by U.S. News and World Report, Carolyn Kleiner Butler discusses how to make those resolutions stick.

According to Butler, lasting change is more easily attainable if people view change as a marathon, not a sprint. If you are not happy with your job, for example, it may take a while for you to determine what else you'd like to do, pick up any skills that you'll need to change careers, and then look for a job. Those who do not think about these time consuming steps may become discouraged and ultimately give up if things don't start falling in place immediately.

Butler uses Benjamin Franklin as an example of America's culture of self help. He was supposedly the king of self help initiatives. As an accomplished scientist, inventor, diplomat, author, and printer, he was always engaged in learning or doing more. She says this mentality remained a part of the American spirit, citing the huge market for self-help books.