Designed to Finish

This last Christmas, I gave my (soon to be 80yo) dad a simple gift: my commitment to run a 5k with him every month.

We actually started this monthly ritual just before Christmas, so this past weekend was our third run together. We’ve got events mapped out across the Puget Sound for the rest of the year. It’s become something we both look forward to, exploring different communities, different courses, and protecting the time on our calendars.

Two things have stood out to me, commitment and design.

Commitment

My dad isn’t chasing a time goal. He’s committed to finishing every run and a bit faster than the last one. At nearly 80, the discipline isn’t about pace. It’s about his identity. He’s someone who shows up, regardless of the weather and finishes what he starts.

That consistency builds capacity. Not through intensity, but through repetition. Month after month, he’s just focused on finishing.

Spending that time with him strengthens something in me as well. It’s physical, of course, but also social and relational. Leadership capacity grows most effective when multiple parts of life are aligned.

Design

This weekend we joined ParkRun for the first time. ParkRun is a well-designed program; it’s volunteer-led, welcoming, and thoughtfully organized. You can sign up once and then join ParkRun events all over the world. There’s even a “Tail Runner” whose role is to finish last, which means no one (like my dad) has to worry about being left behind.

That small design choice changes the experience entirely.

When an environment is designed with intention, shared ownership, and built-in safety, more people show up. More people stay with it. More people finish.

Ambition might get us to the starting line.
Commitment and how we design (or choose) the environment is often what gets us to the finish.

That’s as true in leadership as it is on a monthly 5k with your dad.

Where in your life or leadership journey are you relying on intensity when design might be more effective?