The world is full of woulda's, coulda's, shoulda's, if only. Never let yourself be caught at any point in life saying how much better off you would be if you had done something that was completely under your control in the first place. You don't have to run marathons. Maybe you want to start an exercise program, learn a different language, or become computer literate. Whatever it is, if it's worthwhile, it's going to require effort.
Persistence is key.
Zenobia used to say to me, Julian, if you don't lose weight, you're not going to live long enough to see our sons grow into adulthood. Nothing she said made any difference at all to me. But one day I was standing in the grocery store check-out line, wearing my beeper. There was a little boy in line behind me about five years old with his mother. My beeper sounded off.