life skills emotions · Ages 6-8

The Race I Lost Before I Began

A child convinced they will come last learns to set a personal goal and notices progress that cannot be measured by winning.

The whole story

1. Maya crouched at the starting line on Saturday morning. Her red sneakers rested on the chalk.

2. Maya watched the other runners practice. They flew around the track, and her sneaker tapped a worried beat.

3. “I will come last,” Maya said. “You have not even started,” said Leo.

4. Leo pointed to an orange cone. “Choose one thing to beat,” he said. “Beat what?” Maya asked.

5. Maya looked at the cone. “I will run to that and keep going until I reach it.”

6. Maya ran to the cone. Her legs felt heavy, but she kept her eyes on the orange shape.

7. Maya reached the cone and bent over, puffing like a little train. Then she laughed.

8. They tried again. This time, Maya chose three cones instead of one.

9. The three cones seemed farther away. Maya counted her breaths and reached them without stopping.

10. At the fun run, Maya started near the back. The runners hurried ahead, and she did not chase them.

11. Maya counted the cones. One, two, three. Her feet kept their steady rhythm.

12. Maya came last, just as she had predicted. But she had reached farther than yesterday.

13. Leo handed Maya her water bottle. She smiled at the cones. “I did not win the race,” she said. “But I did not lose before I began.”

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