Run Your Own (Build) Race
Last week, my daughter Brodie ran in her school’s cross country. Leading up to it, we had a strategy chat. She’s a strong runner and takes it seriously.
In Grade 3, the kids take off like rockets—full of excitement and dreams of winning. But halfway through, energy fades, and the wheels fall off.
Now in Grade 4, we talked about pacing. Start steady, conserve energy, and finish strong. Not just crossing the line—but finishing well.
That’s the perfect analogy for building.
Whether you’re renovating, extending or starting from scratch, it’s tempting to charge ahead—making fast decisions, micromanaging every detail. But go too hard early, and burnout hits long before the finish line.
Every build is different. Every family, design, budget and site. For some, success is architectural perfection. For others, it’s surviving the process with budget and sanity intact. Either way—it’s your build. Run your race.
Chasing other people’s timelines or Pinterest-worthy results won’t help. That pressure can derail your project and distract you from what really matters.
Brodie’s race reminded me: every kid brings different strengths. Some sprint, some pace, some just grind it out. All of them can be proud—if they run their race.
Building is the same. Your time, energy and budget are your own. A successful build doesn’t mean getting everything. It means staying the course, playing to your strengths, and being proud of the outcome—even if it looks different than you first imagined.
Brodie came third. She ran smart. She grinned the whole way home.
Let’s follow her lead.
PS: Creating a strategy for your project before you start is the best way to protect your project and your investment. If you’d like to learn about how Home Build Mentoring can help create your project start, book a free 30-Minute Breakthrough Call and we can explore it together.