Bootstrap Boogie. The Race Between Doubt and Trust
I ran a 17-kilometre race called Bootstrap Boogie.
Grass. Beach. Clay. Trail. Boardwalk.
Every surface demanded something different — balance, focus, adaptability.
Halfway through, I realized I wasn’t just running a race.
I was running a metaphor for life, for leadership, and for what it means to trust yourself again.
There were moments of doubt (“What was I thinking?”), moments of laughter, and even a fall or two.
But what stayed with me most wasn’t the terrain — it was the people.
The friends who ran beside me.
The ones who caught me when I stumbled.
And my husband at the finish line, cowbell in hand, cheering for every single soul crossing the line.
That sound — his joy echoing through the trail — reminded me what leadership really is:
a shared rhythm of care, courage, and belonging.
Because leadership isn’t about being out in front.
It’s about staying present to the moment, the people, and the truth of who you are becoming.
From Pressure to Presence
As I ran, I could feel the old stories surfacing — the ones that say you have to push harder, prove more, keep going no matter what.
But something different happened this time.
I slowed down.
I looked around.
I let the moment be enough.
That’s when I realized: trust isn’t built by conquering every mile; it’s built by listening to your body, your breath, your truth.
It’s built in the pauses — the ones that let you feel the joy in another’s voice and the strength in your own steady pace.
The Real Work of Leadership
Leadership, like running, is a long game.
It asks you to meet changing terrain with grace, to adapt when the ground shifts beneath you, and to stay open to the people who help you keep going.
It’s not about perfection or performance.
It’s about participation — being all-in, even when you’re unsure how it will unfold.
That’s the lesson Bootstrap Boogie gave me:
To lead well, you don’t need to stay upright — you just need to stay in it.
It’s a story about choosing presence over pressure, connection over competition, and trust over control.
As you listen, ask yourself:
Where in your life are you being invited into something uncertain — but that might be leading you into a fuller version of yourself?
And who’s ringing the cowbell for you?
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