Longcuts

“You’re running a little late,” my wife said to me as I came puffing in from my morning run.  I replied breathlessly, ” I took a longcut,” and tried not to sweat on the new wood floors.

She looked at me like I had lost my mind (a normal happening) and asked, “A longcut?”

I smiled and answered honestly, “A longcut is the quickest way to reach your goal.”

She, not enjoying my verbal cleverness, then asked, “Don’t you mean ‘shortcut’?”

I thought about how when I run, I look for ways to take the long way. I’ll cut through parking lots and run around cul de sacs to increase my mileage. I choose hills instead of flat routes to make my run harder and more demanding.  I choose new ways to improve.  I take longcuts.

I replied, ” I make my runs harder than they have to be so I can better than I normally be.”

That’s a longcut.

I think about my profession. How many times I cut corners to save time.  From now on, I’m going to give a little bit extra.  My drawings will be a little better drawn. I’ll add a little more detail.  I’ll work a little bit harder. I’ll add longcuts.

As I headed to the shower I smiled and said, “The long way is the shortest way to success.”

She looked at me like I was nuts and said, “OK. Just stop sweating on the floor.”

It’s why I love her. She keeps me real.