I get my best ideas when I’m in the shower, and I get time to hash those ideas out while I’m running. With the abominable snowman of a winter we had in Boston, I didn’t run much for fear that an eight foot sidewalk snow pile would get me flattened by a car. That means I’ve got lots of thoughts going on that I haven’t had time to clear out of my noggin. Thankfully the white veil of winter has lifted, and I’ve got my running shoes on again.
I get my best running done at night, when it’s quiet, after a long day at work. Sometimes I listen to music (usually the same song on repeat), but most of the time I like to focus on my form, breathing, and thoughts. Last night was one of those nights. After not running for months, getting back into it has been hard. I’m definitely not fast, and, in previous weeks, I’ve had to stop to walk a few times. But not last night. Last night I finally felt like I was back in the game. I felt like I could relax, floating along my path. The stillness gave me the time I needed to process my day instead of thinking about how I have a side stitch again.
As I put in my miles, I started thinking about the Squeakless Wheel, a term I use to describe those who do the right thing and never ask for praise. We’ve all heard “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”, meaning those who speak up, or sometimes make a fuss, are the ones who get noticed. I’m looking at you, Kim Kardashian.
This notion has appeared many times over in my life, as I consider myself a Squeakless Wheel. I try to do the right thing, for myself and others, even if it’s the hard thing. It’s how I sleep well at night (when my cat’s not walking on my face), because I know that I tried to be the best “me” I could be, even if I never get thanked for it. Whether I’m eating fruit when I really want cake, or seeing a patient late at night after a 10 hour day because they badly need the help, I try to apply the principle of the Squeakless Wheel every day.
So how do you know if YOU are a Squeakless Wheel?
Here are a few examples to guide you to your decision:
- If you have never needed positive reinforcement from others to further your education, knowing that knowledge is its own reward, you are a Squeakless Wheel.
- If you’ve always taken the time to eat right, rather than periodically jumping on the latest diet craze, you are a Squeakless Wheel.
- If you have consistently kept an exercise routine, rather than starting and stopping, or making excuses why you can’t, you are a Squeakless Wheel.
- If you volunteer in your community, silently making it a better place, you are a Squeakless Wheel.
- If you have ever cleaned the snow off a stranger’s car before they woke up, you are a Squeakless Wheel.
I think it’s time we started celebrating the accumulation of small victories that are the Squeakless Wheels, rather than just those who make a fuss. It takes a lot of dedication to do the right thing with consistency, especially when it’s not the easy thing.
So here’s to you, my fellow Squeakless Wheels. You’ve got my praise any day.
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