Welcome to Running to Myself. I’m Trisha Stanton. Life and mindset coach, running coach and host of Running to Myself.
16 years ago I ran my first marathon. The process of training for that first race changed my life. This podcast is my opportunity to share some of the lessons I have learned through the many ups and downs of life during almost 2 decades of running and learning more about who I am. It is my hope that through my stories maybe you will see a bit of yourself as well and find a nugget of truth and inspiration to take with you. Let’s get started.
Standards: Helpful or Harmful?
Standards play an important role in many areas of life. They ensure quality, maintain safety, and set expectations. We trust that doctors meet rigorous standards before practicing medicine. We rely on airline pilots to meet strict qualifications before flying planes. Even the cars we drive and the homes we live in must meet specific standards to ensure safety. In these cases, standards are necessary and beneficial.
But what happens when standards become more of a burden than a guide? Can they ever hold us back instead of pushing us forward? I believe the answer is yes—and not in the way you might think.
This episode is not about lowering standards. It’s about understanding how to meet yourself where you are so that growth is sustainable and achievable.
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Chasing Standards in Running and in Life
As I became a more experienced runner, I began striving for higher standards—one of which was qualifying for the Boston Marathon. That standard was clear, measurable, and, quite frankly, difficult. It took me several marathons before I finally ran a qualifying time. And even then, I didn’t make it into the race because there were too many qualifiers, and only the fastest secured a spot.
Over the years, the standard has only become tougher. For the 2025 Boston Marathon, runners needed to be 6 minutes and 51 seconds faster than their qualifying standard just to get in. That’s a high bar! And yet, those increasing standards never discouraged me—they motivated me.
But would that have been the case when I was a brand-new runner? Absolutely not.
When I first started running, my only goal was to finish a marathon. That alone was a massive challenge. If I had set my sights on Boston from day one, I would have felt overwhelmed, discouraged, and most likely, I would have quit. Not because the goal was impossible—but because I hadn’t met myself where I was. I hadn’t built the foundation yet.
The same applies to any big goal in life. Whether it's building a business, improving relationships, or working on personal growth, expecting yourself to be at the finish line when you’re just getting started is a recipe for frustration. We have to honor the process.
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Meeting People Where They Are—A Missed Opportunity
This lesson extends far beyond running. I recently heard a story that deeply resonated with me. Someone shared with me that, after years of struggling, they had finally started making progress in an area that had held them back for a long time. They were feeling hopeful—until they shared their progress with a professional who was meant to support them.
Instead of celebrating the steps they had taken, this person was told that their progress still didn’t meet the expected standard. The focus wasn’t on how far they had come, but on how far they still had to go. Rather than feeling encouraged, they felt stuck and defeated. A powerful opportunity for growth and motivation was missed simply because the standard was placed above the individual’s starting point.
As a coach, this frustrates me to no end. Growth doesn’t happen when we ignore where we’re starting from. It happens when we honor it.
How often do we do this to ourselves? We dismiss small wins because they don’t seem “big enough.” We belittle our progress because it doesn’t measure up to someone else’s success. But here’s the truth: Every step forward is proof that you are moving in the right direction.
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The Power of Meeting Yourself Where You Are
If you feel stuck in any area of life, ask yourself:
🚫 Are you refusing to acknowledge where you actually are?
🚫 Are you expecting yourself to be farther along than you are?
🚫 Are you shaming yourself for not making progress fast enough?
If so, that’s exactly what’s keeping you stuck. The only way to move forward is to start exactly where you are.
✅ Stop wishing you were further along.
✅ Stop comparing your progress to someone else’s.
✅ Stop letting unrealistic expectations keep you from taking the next step.
The first step to progress isn’t judgment—it’s awareness. Take an honest look at where you are, not to criticize, but to create a plan that works for you. Your pace. Your path. Your progress.
Imagine if, instead of getting frustrated by where you think you “should” be, you embraced where you are and focused on the next right step. What could change for you? How much lighter would your journey feel?
Growth is not about perfection—it’s about consistency. It’s about showing up today, exactly as you are, and choosing to take another step forward.
There are countless ways to achieve a goal. But one truth remains: you can’t skip ahead.
Meet yourself where you are. Take the next step. And keep going. 💙
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Closing & Call to Action
That’s all I have for you today, my friends. I hope you enjoyed this episode of Running to Myself. You can find previous episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or on my website at www.trishastanton.com. New episodes are released every Monday, so be sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify to automatically receive each new episode as it comes out.
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I’ll be back next week to share more about my journey on the road to discovering my truest self.
In the meantime, if you want to know more about my coaching program or have questions about one-on-one coaching, please visit my website at www.trishastanton.com or join my Facebook Group, The Simple Truth Coaching. I’d love to hear from you!
Have a great week, and remember—Mindset Matters!
