Photo special to the MDJ
A series of personal setbacks led Marietta resident Becky Harmon to God. A friend led her to running marathons. Harmon combined her newfound faith and fitness and released “Success Not Sabotage: Bold Physical Identity,” which she hopes will encourage others.
Harmon was plagued by issues in her past, such as childhood trauma, depression and insecurities. In 2005, she faced a host of personal setbacks, including a million-dollar identity theft which involved the FBI.
“That one year was very defining for me,” she said. “It was epic.”
She said she started crying out, and she needed a new shift, a new identity. “I can’t take it anymore,” she said, remembering her feelings at the time.
Although she led prayer at her church, Harmon said she had to take care of herself first and get her head back in a clear and confident place. “I had to shift into where God has called me,” she said, not expecting it would involve a major lifestyle change.
When a friend from the neighborhood invited Harmon to run, the wife and mother of four declined. “I’m a walker, not a runner,” Harmon recalled telling her neighbor. However, she still felt unsettled about her decision.
As a longtime asthmatic, Harmon said there were times when she couldn’t laugh without coughing, much less run. This history combined with her age — Harmon is 47 — had her “terrified” to run a marathon. She said, “I was afraid to fail.”
Her husband of 25 years, Jay, asked her what would it mean to finish. She replied, “I would feel like I could do anything and be successful.” With prayer, Harmon decided to give running a chance.
“It was really a revelation for me,” she said. Within six months, Harmon ran a half marathon. Four months later, she ran her first marathon.
“It was more like a trot,” she quipped. “I’m not doing it to finish at a personal best time. I’m doing it to stay in shape.”
Her accomplishments inspired her to start her business — Success Not Sabotage. On her website, www.successnotsabotage.com, Harmon’s speciality involves helping her clients to invest in strategies that
to keep them focused practically and prayerfully for long-term success; learn how to grow in personal authority; and earn how to communicate simply and powerfully in order to transform lives.
Harmon co-authored her latest book with Bonnie Mechelle, the executive producer of WAEC 860 AM Healthtopia Radio and creator of The Victory Steps 6 Week Christian Weight Loss Coaching program. The ladies met at a summer prayer breakfast and formed a fast bond.
“We connected like peanut butter and jelly when we met,” Harmon said. “It was such a great fit.”
Mechelle said, “I told her that I was working on losing my postpartum pounds, and Becky asked me to do a half marathon with her. We began to walk together at Roswell Park, more people started to join us, and we developed a team of Christian runners to train for a half marathon.”
Harmon uses her Bold Physical Identity system to inspire and motivate others. She defines it as overcoming past feelings of victimization and failure, losing between 10 and 40 pounds, and being able to transform other people’s lives by doing a half marathon.
Mechelle said they developed the system with videos, coaching assignments, personal testimony and helpful tips to successfully run the races. She said, “We shared all of the challenges and rewards of learning how to run and created a BPI as a guide to build spiritual, mental (and) physical toughness.” Harmon said her business has been powerful and life-changing.
“I have people who never thought they were successful,” she said. “When people finish a half-marathon, they feel like rock stars, enthralled. It’s a lot of fun.”
While she is passionate about helping Christians build a strong identity, Harmon’s system is open to everyone, regardless of faith. “I work with everybody. I’m just real clear about my faith,” she said. “Don’t worry about the Jesus factor. The system in itself is a powerful system.”
