I listened to an episode of Happier where Gretchen Rubin talked about knowing ourselves better.
One of the dimensions she mentioned was the marathoner vs. the sprinter.
The marathoner takes a project with a due date in the future and works on it consistently over time.
The sprinter waits until the last minute to get started – working best with the pressure.
In this conversation she made an interesting point.
“A sprinter will do things at the last minute but be proud of the work.”
This is not the case if you are a marathoner who has been procrastinating.
These individuals may get the work done on time, but typically aren’t proud of the product.
They feel they could have done better.
Her point of view is that if we know which we are, we can be less stressed by our work and better engage with others by being open about our tendency.
My Story
I’ve known about this difference for a while and struggled with which is most like me.
As a planner, I think things through and feel like a marathoner.
Yet, I work best with a tight deadline and often wait until the last minute.
This has made me believe I’m a procrastinator.
With this insight, I’m realizing that I’m a sprinter.
I like letting the assignment “marinade” in my brain for a while.
As the deadline approaches, I know how long it will take me to complete.
The deadlines are met, and I feel proud of the work.
I’m not a procrastinator.
I’m a sprinter.
More specifically, I’ll coin myself to be a “marinating sprinter”.
Your Turn
Do you do things at the last minute?
When you complete projects are you proud of the work or do you think you could have done better?
How would you define yourself – a marathoner or a sprinter?