I wasted 10 years of my life on running. Now there is no meaning to my life.

Think of something that you think is worth working towards in this life, and get to work.

Think of retired people that die soon after, seemingly because they have nothing to live for anymore. Or all of the celebrities that get depressed and kill themselves with drugs because they're rich and don't have to do anything anymore and have nothing they need to do in life.

Pick your thing that drives you, and keep at it, don't stop. That's when you'll feel meaning in your life.

Think of a goal and start working towards it wrote:

Pick your thing that drives you, and keep at it, don't stop. That's when you'll feel meaning in your life.

Ah, no. That's what the OP already did. What happens when that thing is taken away? Americans need to figure out inner peace.

wasted said: Has anyone else ever felt depression or despair after working hard for something and failing?

you haven't failed. you just re-defined success.

cheers.

wasted wrote:

Has anyone else ever felt depression or despair after working hard for something and failing? How did you get over it? I really feel like there is no meaning to my life.

@zapendurance

You need to diversify your life. Have multiple pursuits and aspirations. Then if you fail at one, you still have the other ones that are potentially going well.

What is zapendurance?

wasted wrote:

Has anyone else ever felt depression or despair after working hard for something and failing? How did you get over it? I really feel like there is no meaning to my life.

If you had achieved your goals, I doubt you would be feeling much different. To get to the top only to realize no one really cares except you isn't all that fulfilling.

If you want to feel good and have meaning/purpose in your life, then invest yourself in others.

Running should be fun. If it’s not than find another hobby that is

zappy wrote:

What is zapendurance?

Formerly Zap Fitness. Where B Teamer dreams go to die.

What I am about to tell you should change your life:

Thomas Edison, the great inventor, tried so many things and failed countless times. For just the discovery of the light bulb filament he tried 10,000 different materials! Imagine how the average person would have felt at number 12 or 23 or 78? Total failure! But not Thomas Edison. He knew the power of keeping on. So don't despair. Stay positive and it will happen! I know this is true because I have done it. Right now I'm going through a rough cycle but I know I will come out ok because I know what I just described above.

wasted wrote:

Has anyone else ever felt depression or despair after working hard for something and failing? How did you get over it? I really feel like there is no meaning to my life.

You sound like a 22 year old. Find other interested. Nobody should be this lopsided.

sfsfsafafafa wrote:

wasted wrote:

Has anyone else ever felt depression or despair after working hard for something and failing? How did you get over it? I really feel like there is no meaning to my life.

You sound like a 22 year old. Find other interested. Nobody should be this lopsided.

Good point. If you are 22, you have your whole life in front of you. If you're 32 with no professionnal experience or advanced education or love life or real friends because you dedicated yourself to running while living in a van down by the river only to be a 2:30 guy, you should be depressed.

wasted wrote:

Has anyone else ever felt depression or despair after working hard for something and failing? How did you get over it? I really feel like there is no meaning to my life.

Psychoanalysis. For example, maybe we are chasing the highs of winning in a sports culture. Maybe we have romantic goals we want to line up with our sports performances. What are the variables of happiness? Are we in a search for meaning? Or do we need help, help from others perhaps, in constructing and maintaining it?

sdfgh wrote:

Thomas Edison, the great inventor, tried so many things and failed countless times. For just the discovery of the light bulb filament he tried 10,000 different materials!

List them, please. This needs proof.

Is there even a list of 10,000 materials, let alone ones used by Edison?

You want proof? You should know the truth when you see it. Go look up the autobiography of Thomas A Edison. You'll find it in his own words. On the very first page he goes into how he never gives up. Look it up.

Were you at least to qualify for the Olympic trials? If not, you had your priorities wrong. If you did qualify, that is a major accomplishment. You should embrace it.

Pardon me if I sound blunt, but I am not here to sell you drug store psychology and sugar coat the pill for you (after all, it seems to me you already over dosed on those thoughts during the last 10 years).

Sounds to me that you put all your eggs in one basket and probably self-deluded in the idea that you would be GREAT. Time to face reality and ADAPT, after all that is one of our best abilities as humans, our capacity to adapt.

Running is not everything in life, especially for people with average talent. I think you over-sold yourself in that ideal thinking you had above average talent and would be great, now you hit a brick wall face on at 60 mph and are facing REALITY, and NEVER made a plan B. Good news is, it is never too late to change plans.

Now that you face your reality and realize your running dreams are over, it's time to reassess your priorities and purpose in life, time to ADAPT and move on with your life fore something different. That will take a lot if introspection on your behalf. After all it is your life, you are the master of it and the ONLY one who can really engineer your future.

Running was just a tool, so it is time to change tools and tool brand.

Good luck!

sdfgh wrote:

You want proof? You should know the truth when you see it. Go look up the autobiography of Thomas A Edison. You'll find it in his own words. On the very first page he goes into how he never gives up. Look it up.

Bullcrap. He stole from others, including Nikola Tesla.

Dur wrote:

sfsfsafafafa wrote:

You sound like a 22 year old. Find other interested. Nobody should be this lopsided.

Good point. If you are 22, you have your whole life in front of you. If you're 32 with no professionnal experience or advanced education or love life or real friends because you dedicated yourself to running while living in a van down by the river only to be a 2:30 guy, you should be depressed.

What is wrong with that? Sounds like an adventurous lifestyle.