Letting Go of Perfection: The Power of Process, Presence & Planning with Eliud Kipchoge #567

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

When life doesn’t unfold the way we hoped, it can be tempting to see that as failure. But what if it was those moments that actually shape us the most?

This week, I’m delighted to welcome Eliud Kipchoge back to the show for a second incredible conversation - recorded just days after he completed the 2025 London Marathon. Eliud is a Kenyan athlete who is widely regarded as the greatest marathon runner of all time. He has won two successive Olympic marathons and 10 major titles. And of course, he’s the only athlete to have ever run a marathon in under two hours, which he did back in 2019 in Vienna as part of the 1:59 challenge.

But as you’ll hear in this conversation, his wisdom goes far beyond running as Eliud shares the life lessons that have shaped his journey - not just as an athlete, but as a human being.

You’ll also hear:

• Why Eliud believes discipline is what creates freedom - and how keeping promises to yourself builds the self-trust needed to face life’s hardest moments
• Why failure is not the opposite of success, but, instead, the soil where wisdom grows
• How running has become a metaphor for life - with its highs, lows, unexpected challenges and the need to keep moving forward
• How Eliud not being able to finish his last Olympic marathon taught him more than any victory ever could
• The true power of community, humility, and purpose - and why Eliud still cleans toilets at his training camp despite being a global icon
• How planning, consistency and positive thinking guide his life - and why he believes ego is something we must all learn to let go of

Throughout our conversation, Eliud speaks with warmth, humility and compassion. He challenges the idea that goals alone define success - reminding us that it’s the process, the discipline and the way we show up every day that truly counts.

Whether you’re a runner or not, this episode is an invitation to reflect on your own mindset, your values, and your relationship with setbacks. Eliud shows us that progress isn’t always linear - and that real growth often happens in the moments we never planned for.

I hope you enjoy listening.

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/567

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