Vision and Your 4-Minute Mile
Have you heard about Roger Bannister and the 4-minute mile? It’s a really fascinating story. People for years had been trying to break the 4-minute mile. The prior record time was 4 minutes 1.3 seconds, set by Gunder Haag of Sweden in 1945. At that point in time, running a mile below 4 minutes was considered physically impossible. On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister set the world record with a mile time of 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds. Pretty amazing right?
Sharing that story actually isn’t even the most interesting aspect of the story. Don’t get me wrong, It is an amazing human feat, but how long do you think that record lasted?
46 days.
The world record lasted 46 days until John Landy beat it by running the mile in 3 minutes and 58 seconds. A year later, at the same race, three different runners ran the mile in under 4 minutes.
How is it possible that we can go from something that we thought was physically impossible, to breaking the record in a month and a half? Then have even more people beat it the following year? People suggest that it wasn’t the science or the training that changed, but rather, the mindset.
There are two main points I want to make about the mindset. The first one is: if you can see it, then you can do it. Nobody thought the 4-minute mile was doable until they saw Roger Bannister do it. Then, because they knew it could be done, they also believed they could do it too. It’s kind of like seeing your friend get in shape and eat healthier. Maybe you think, “If he can do it, I can definitely do it.” I do want to emphasize this doesn’t work in every situation. Not everyone can run that fast, but to know that it is possible I think opens your own beliefs. Also, where I think this type of mindset can be most helpful is when the situation is direr. For example, if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, I would look to the ones who have beat it and figure out how they think and act.
The second point is if you can see something that doesn’t currently exist, you can create it for yourself. That sounds like a bold point to make, but that’s exactly what Roger Bannister did. As part of his practice, he visualized himself crossing the finish line with the time being 3 minutes and 59 seconds. His visualization exercise allowed him to see a future that he wanted to create… and he created it. So if you’re a business owner and you want to create something that doesn’t currently exist in the marketplace, you can start off by visualizing what the world will look like once your product is a huge success. From there, you can reverse engineer what it will take to get there.
Here’s why I bring this up today. We’ve been talking about vision, and most of it has been around seeing what is already in front of you, just changing the angle or perspective so you can see more. Today’s focus is around seeing things you never thought possible. One of the things that always breaks my heart is when I hear someone say, “I can’t do that, it’s not me.” I understand if someone does not want to do something and if it’s not right for them but saying you can’t because it’s not you is the equivalent of saying the 4-minute mile is physically impossible. Maybe you just need to see someone like you to give you permission to pursue the thing you really want. I think that’s why representation is such a common topic. Simply seeing someone who looks like you on TV means that could be a career option. If you don’t see it, you may not realize it’s an option.
Now if you’re unique and you don’t see someone doing the thing you want to do, congratulations, you’re a pioneer. You must create the thing that doesn’t currently exist. How do you do that? Do what Roger Bannister did with his mile time.
So what do you think? Or rather, what do you see? What is your 4-minute mile? Let me know. If you want support to get a clearer vision for yourself, please reach out, I’d love to serve you.
Kevin helps people find breakthroughs to reach the next level of life while “seeing things.” Contact him at kevinkoocoaching@gmail.com
