A Big Morning and a Lot to Think About

This morning I ran my first 10k and I learned a very important lesson about pacing. The first two miles felt great so I pushed it, and my body made sure I paid for that decision by the time I hit the back half of the race. It's one of those things you hear about but don't fully believe until you're living it mid-race with no good options. I finished, but it wasn't pretty. Honestly though, I'm proud I did it, and next time I'll know better than to let the early momentum get to my head.

After the race I got to meet a young tech founder who is right around my age and already building something real. That kind of encounter has a way of lighting a fire under you. It wasn't intimidating so much as it was inspiring. Seeing someone at the same stage of life moving with that much purpose and clarity made me want to think harder about where I'm putting my energy and what I'm actually building toward.

At the same time, I've been thinking a lot about balance lately. I'm genuinely considering trying out for UT cheer, which on paper might seem like a distraction from bigger goals. But I think there's real value in doing things that make life full, not just things that look good on a resume. The drive to succeed is something I take seriously, but I don't want to look back and feel like I was so locked in on the destination that I missed out on the experience of getting there.

I'm still figuring out how to hold all of that at once. The ambition, the joy, the discipline, the fun. Maybe that's just what being 20 looks like. I don't have a clean answer yet but I'm paying attention, and I think that's a decent place to start.

Until next week, I'm praying for you,

James

How do you find balance between chasing your goals and making space for the things that make life worth living?