Which target will you miss?

I ran a half marathon this last weekend. Really, I should say I finished (I was not running the whole time).

I used to run, bike, and swim regularly.

And at that time, my definition of success depended solely on the finish line. Different races had different goals, but for a half marathon, staying under two hours was the usual target.

At this recent race, however, I finished in two hours and twenty minutes. A disaster. But my definition for success was different.

This weekend, my goal was to spend time with my mom. That meant running, walking, and chatting our way through 13.1 miles.

Racing with my mom "cost" me twenty minutes.

Isn't that the stupidest sentence you've ever read? The race went exactly how I hoped it would. Mom and I had a blast.

But if I look at this experience through an old definition of success, I end up disappointed AND I'm unable to enjoy the exact thing I was looking to do.

Here's where I'd turn the mic to you—what's your definition of a successful race right now?

New job title?
Unique experience?
More pay?
Less pressure?
More time at home?
Less stress?

Sometimes our goals get in each other's way. Which means failing to meet one goal can be exactly what allows us to hit another.

So, the question is this: which goal will you miss today? Which failure will you choose?