If You’re Going to Miss the Bus, Miss It Running

by Claire Brady, EdD

There’s a phrase I heard once that I’ve never forgotten: “If you’re going to miss the bus, miss it running.” It’s simple, even a little humorous, but it carries a powerful message about effort, attitude, and resilience.

We all have moments in life when the odds aren’t in our favor. The promotion might be going to someone else. The deadline feels impossible. The relationship might be ending despite our best intentions. In those moments, it’s tempting to stop trying, to step aside and say, “Why bother?” But that’s where this little saying comes to life. If you’re going to miss your goal, go down giving it your all. Don’t stroll to defeat—run toward it with every ounce of energy you have.

Running for the bus when you know you’re late is about hope, but it’s also about dignity. It’s about saying, I will not choose inaction. Even if the doors close just as you reach them, you know you did everything you could. And that matters, because the habit of showing up with full effort—especially when the outcome isn’t guaranteed—is the habit that builds character and sometimes, surprising victories.

Life is unpredictable. Sometimes, the bus you thought you were going to miss stops to pick up another passenger and you catch it after all. Other times, you miss it, but in the process, you discover something unexpected—another route, a ride from a friend, or simply the reminder that you’re stronger and faster than you thought. Effort is never wasted, even if it doesn’t take you exactly where you planned.

There’s also a psychological shift that happens when you commit fully, even in the face of possible failure. You stop focusing solely on the outcome and start taking pride in the process. You find small wins in the way you show up, the way you persist, the way you refuse to let discouragement dictate your choices. That shift transforms how you approach challenges in every area of life.

And here’s the real secret: that mindset compounds. The more you “miss the bus running,” the more you’ll catch it. Not because the world suddenly becomes easier, but because you’ve trained yourself to move quickly, think creatively, and refuse to waste time hesitating. You’ve built the reflex to act instead of overthinking or preemptively surrendering.

The opposite is also true. If you give yourself permission to stand still and watch the bus drive away, it becomes easier to do that the next time, and the next. Eventually, you stop showing up for opportunities altogether—not because you couldn’t have caught them, but because you decided ahead of time that you wouldn’t try.

So whatever your “bus” is—an opportunity, a dream, a challenge—chase it. Sprint for it. Even if you’re late. Even if people on the sidewalk are watching and wondering why you’re still going. You might make it. You might not. But if you’re going to miss it, miss it running.

Run anyway—because the only real loss is deciding you’re not worth the sprint.