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muscle, every fiber, is aiming toward a goal, leaving the runner vulnerable.
    If you’re not stretching, you’re in a much better position to defend yourself; your muscles are naturally defensive. Though most people begin their lives by stretching, they soon discover that this position leaves them open to attack, so they begin to withdraw. They start to equate stretching with pain. Before long they’re not willing to stretch anymore.
    Those who continue to stretch will find themselves vulnerable to criticism. Unfortunately, the road to success is paved with critics. They’re ready and waiting to point out how imperfectly other people do what they themselves are unable or unwilling to do.
    Jonas Salk, who developed the polio vaccine, was attacked continually for his creative, inventive work in the medical field. He found that criticism came in three stages. The first stage is when people tell you that you’re wrong—it won’t work. After they’ve seen you get some success under your belt, they say that what you’re doing isn’t really that important. Finally, after they see that it’s important, they’ll say that they knew you would do it all along. If you’re stretching, the best defense to these critics is the fruit of your labor. Don’t feel that you have to pull out of that stretch position to defend yourself. Just go out and produce the fruit. Those who recognize fruit will appreciate it and those who don’t recognize fruit will criticize you whether you produce it or not.
    We’re also vulnerable to misunderstanding. Often people whose own motives are wrong will feel threatened by us if we are stretching to be our best. They react by questioning the validity of our motives, accusing us of doing our best for some impure purpose.
    Not only are we vulnerable to the reactions of others, but we can be vulnerable to ourselves. We are often harder on ourselves than other people are. If we have no goals, we won’t recognize failure, but if we’re stretching for success, we will fail from time to time. We need to learn how to deal with that. Don’t ever let failure become final. Be aware that discouragement is failure’s partner. The best way to pull yourself out of discouragement is to surround yourself by people who are encouragers. Get a friend who really understands the value of affirmation, who really believes in you. Do you know the best way to get encouragers around you? Become an encourager yourself.
    We’ve talked about criticism, misunderstanding, failure, and discouragement. Take about five minutes and evaluate yourself: Where are you vulnerable?
T HE N EED FOR A FFIRMATION
    The most important time to affirm people is when they are stretching. If you want to be a cheerleader to a friend, be a cheerleader when he or she is really moving out and stretching. Too many people affirm too late. I think there are times when we’re afraid to encourage risk takers, because in doing so we identify with them; we join them out there on the limb. If they fail, we fail too. But remember that even a tombstone will say good things about a fellow after he’s dead. Don’t be a tombstone encourager. Affirm early.
    Affirm often. Don’t wait for the race to be won, but encourage each step forward. Affirm immediately. The effect of an encouraging word loses its strength as time lapses. If you sense that a friend is starting to slip, give immediate affirmation before the slip has a chance to become a full-scale slide. Affirm personally, and don’t be afraid to affirm in front of others. Nothing is more encouraging than to receive honest praise in front of your peers.
S TRETCHING N EVER S TOPS
    Most people never learn that stretching never stops. We have a pattern of stretching and resting, stretching and resting. I understand the need for recuperation and restoration, but the problem is that most people stretch a little and rest a lot. Pretty soon they have a vacation mentality, a retirement mind-set.
    Too many people