F#$% Yeah!

Last week-end I watched the New York City marathon on TV and was mesmerized. I’ve thought a lot about the race this week and this morning, on my own run, was able to crystalize why it made such an impact on me.

I’ve watched a lot of races over the years and this was one of my favorites. Leading into the race, I’d read interviews with Shalane Flanagan, the top American in the race, with interest. She was bold and confident – articulating her desire to win, to go for broke and not leave anything on the line, and her plan to run with any leader until she couldn’t run any longer. Unusual – most athletes don’t share their game plan in advance. But at 36, she knows she is in the last years of her career, and considered this perhaps her last marathon.

Then I forgot about it. I woke up that morning with no plan to watch the marathon. But my youngest daughter loves watching sports, including running, and my husband had turned on the race for her. As I drank my coffee lazily on the couch, I got sucked into the race.

Shalane ran strong the entire race. Sometime after 20 miles the pack broke up and it was down to her and two other runners, including Mary Keitany, the current World Champion and world record holder. No slouch. They ran hard and started dropping faster miles trying to break each other. Finally, with a few miles to go, Shalane broke away. She created a long lead – ultimately winning the race by over a minute. It was incredible.

Watching her run those last miles, I was overwhelmed with the cautious joy she must be feeling – having dreamed of this moment for decades. It was her first major marathon win and the biggest win of her career. I wondered when she would start celebrating as it became clear it would take a major disaster to dethrone her. She ran controlled, focused, and patient.

Finally, on her last few strides as she sprinted toward the finish line, you could see her face crumble with anticipatory tears. She shook her arms above her head and yelled a jubilant “F#$% Yeah!” for the world to see. The TV cameras were zoomed in and if ever there were an award for a crystal-clear lip read, it was this moment. She crossed the finish line, blowing kisses to the crowd, and collapsed into tears.

It was an epic sports moment. Even if you aren’t a running fun, you should watch this finish. 

For me, my eyes filled with tears from the emotion of her finish. What an accomplishment – to know that you have worked so hard for decades, sacrificed so much, and your dream is coming true.

This morning while running, I pondered why this moment touched me so much. And here is what I discovered. It is the beauty of the “F#$% Yeah!”

I’ve had a few of these moments in my life. I made a short mental list while I ran.

• My first State Championship. My junior year in high school. I had popped a dream 3200 run at the state track meet my sophomore year. Improved my personal best time by 50 seconds to a surprise second place. It gave me confidence to train my tail off over the summer with a goal of winning state cross country that fall. I was on track – demolishing my best times and winning races until I got mononucleosis. Ugh. I had to take 3 weeks off from running for full rest, slept 12 hours a night, and drank my weight in fluids each day trying to flush the virus out of my system. I was able to race again, white as a ghost, for our district meet and won – barely. At the state championships, I faded in the last 400 meters to fourth place, wondering what might have been. So, when I finally won my first state championship the next track season, it was a dream come true and a “F#$% Yeah!” moment.
• My first glimpse at national greatness. My senior year in cross country. I won the Kinney (now Foot Locker) Regional Championship, earning my spot at my first national championship. It was a super muddy race and I had to out-kick a really fast 800 meter specialist for the win. I actually couldn’t believe I did it. Another “F#$% Yeah!” moment, where I realized I was a national class runner and had likely earned a college scholarship to a school of my choice.
• My Live Earth project. In 2007, my incredible manager took a bet on me and gave me a huge project that was behind schedule with great visibility. I led a virtual team of 100 people to build a web site experience with 150 musical acts in eleven locations around the world. I had never led a development effort. I had never pitched ad space to clients. I had never worked with Al Gore (the recipient cause was climate change) or Kevin Wall (the fancy Hollywood producer) before. But I led the charge and my site on MSN.com livestreamed the concerts for 36 hours – at the time, a world record. My manager said it was the “greatest day in MSN history.” One of my biggest “F#$% Yeah!” professional moments. Oh, and I was 8 months pregnant.
• Xbox One and Windows 10 launches. I love a good product launch and I’ve worked on many during my 20 years at Microsoft. These are special memories and my most favorite projects. Both of these were not obvious wins – with Xbox, we were digging out of a serious ditch from some unpopular policy decisions and poorly chosen words by an executive. For Windows, the brand was considered tired and much maligned following Windows 8. With both, I was asked to lead later in the game than was ideal. I had to build teams in real time while also building strategic plans and driving our news agenda. With both launches, I poured my heart into them. Worked my tail off. Pitched big creative ideas that cost millions and millions of dollars to execute. And they worked. Beautifully. I woke up the morning after both, read the press coverage and appreciation from executives, and said “F#$% Yeah!”

You may ask where is my marriage date, births of my three amazing children, or other personal milestones on this list. They are not “F#$% Yeah!” moments. They are melt your heart and bring you joy moments. But “F#$% Yeah!” moments are different.

They are the culmination of tremendous hard work. Hours and hours of the best of yourself – poured toward a goal. They require tremendous, unbelievable accomplishment. Where you surprise yourself with what you were able to achieve. And they have to really matter to you. They bring you great satisfaction. Pride. And a sense of gratification that makes you burst with “F#$% Yeah!”

Which makes me think long and hard about my next “F#$% Yeah!” moment. What should it be? You have to choose it…to then work toward it….to achieve it. They definitely never just happen.

Life is richer, more special, and more memorable when we earn the right to shout “F#$% Yeah!” I want my next one in clear view. With clear focus. And a clear plan to hit it. Then I intend to shout, “F#$% Yeah!” with as much passion as Shalane.