DNF: Down But Not Finished!

Things go wrong sometimes. That is life! There is, however, much we can possibly do to salvage things before they go sour or go south.

In sports competitions, a DNF is a ‘Did Not Finish’ – an unappreciated designation to participants who drop out of race due to mechanical failure or physical fatigue. When a DNF is attached to a participant’s name in the results list, it may be hard to swallow. It is, after all, a blemish on one’s ego – however healthy it may be. It is akin to ‘giving up’ despite the conditions under which one is forced to submit to pain, discomfort or imminent danger to one’s health.

In an earlier piece, I wrote that I did not have a DNF in my DNA; it was meant in a positive, and not arrogant way. If I know I have a bad day, and I can still complete the race, I will. I would not thrown in the towel, as I have nothing to lose, and I still have a tail to drag between my legs. I have been provoked by my ‘demons’ during an endurance event, and considered taking the shortcut to comfort but reversed my decision, as I would regret my moment of weakness.

My good friends had a tough weekend doing the Desaru Long Distance 116K Triathlon. Kevin Siah had to call it quits as mechanical issues from his bike tore into his fierce-some fitness, and Reeves decided to complete it while walking most of the 21K. I recalled suffering cramps (because I failed to consume electrolytes) on my first race there, and had to walk a sub-3 hour half-marathon. It was humbling, yet educational for I learnt to value proper and regular nutrition during a long course event. I have internalized these painful lessons and converted them into gratifying progress.

A DNF can be a humbling but grateful exercise in appreciating our physical and mental limitations.

Leadership Lessons: When do you let things go because it cannot be improved? How do you feel when you have to make compromises? What were the lessons you learnt when you did not achieve your targets? How do you respond to failure?