One afternoon my best friend went to cheerleading tryouts, so I went with her, and ended up making the squad.

I decided to do a fall sport to get in better shape for the surprising athleticism of cheerleading, and knowing I'd never make the volleyball team, I did Cross Country.

(There might also have been a cute, redheaded boy on the CC team.)

I'd never run outside gym class. I was not in shape. And suddenly I found myself on a country road and told the coach would be parked 2 miles down at our turnaround point.

And immediately I realized that if...

...I tried to think about 4 miles, or even 2, I couldn't take a single step. I might as well turn around and go back in the school.

I didn't know if I could run 4 miles, but I spotted a big rock about 20 feet away on the side of the road, and I knew I could get to the rock.

When I got to the rock I focused on a tree another 20 feet away, because I didn't know if I could run 4 miles, but I knew I could run to that tree.

Then the mailbox a bit further down.

And the wonky barbed wire fence post a bit further past that.

Now, I was so slow that...

...on that first day, the coach actually drove to me a half mile or so before I got there and told me to turn around then. But we did long distance runs every single Monday, and he only sent me back early a couple of times.

I was quickly able to space out my markers.

And by the end of the season, I very much could run 4 whole miles.

I'm really glad that happened when I was 14, so that I could have that lesson throughout my life.

I've been in so many situations where the task required of me was too big and I couldn't wrap my brain around it.

I can picture myself back on that gravel road in the blazing Kansas sun.

And I don't know if I can run 4 miles, but I know I can run to that rock 20 feet away.

I know you can get to that rock, too.

Don't think about the 4 miles.

Just find your rock, and get there.