Libro: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, by Haruki Murakami

Book 1 of 2024

Well, this is technically the third book I've finished since January.

I wrapped this one up around mid-February, but I only recently decided to start keeping track of my reads just to see how many I can actually finish before the year ends.

The biggest takeaway for me:

Even the most ordinary thing can turn into something deep, almost meditative, if you stick with it long enough.

Running sounds simple.

You put one foot in front of the other and keep going.

But do it consistently for years and it becomes more than just exercise. It becomes routine, discipline, solitude, reflection, and sometimes a way of understanding yourself a little better.

And I think that applies to a lot of things.

Writing.

Learning.

Work.

Anything that requires you to show up again and again, even on days when nothing particularly exciting happens.

Not everything has to feel profound while you're doing it.

Sometimes the meaning only shows up after you've done the ordinary thing long enough to look back and realize how much it changed you.

Keep moving.

The distance adds up.