Hi, Dreemers! How are you doing? Do you still have enough stamina left to finish the marathon? Are you ready to give it your all?

I surely do hope so! Remember, this is a marathon! It's not a sprint! So, it's all about finishing the race. It's not about winning against an opponent or a fellow marathoner... It's about FINISHING THE RACE!

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!

Same as in a real marathon, where you get rewarded by receiving a medal just for completing the race, you will also be rewarded with a prize for finishing this marathon.

So, keep your eyes on the TRUE prize in this marathon! And the TRUE prize in this marathon is...CONNECTION!!!

Yes, CONNECTION! And this "connection" is a connection that lasts! It's not about connecting with people just to have fun for a month and then just going back to your old ways by operating all on your own again!

In a way, you are working on building your own prize in this marathon. You should be building connections with various people that will last! And you need to STICK WITH IT!

Keep growing with people on their Hive journey. By doing that, those same people will automatically also grow with you on your Hive journey. That is what you should be aiming at during this marathon. Connect with and build relationships with people you meet during this marathon... long-lasting relationships!

If you can finish this marathon by the end of next week, having made new connections and building relationships, YOU FINISH STRONG!!

You will FINISH STRONG because that would mean that you have laid the foundation to BUILD on those connections and develop strong, long-lasting relationships for the long term...for the future!

Don't be short-sighted by only focusing on the now...only focusing on the immediate fun of the marathon. No, think long-term!

Yes, we all love games and challenges! We love playing games and having fun! But in reality, at the heart of everything, we need to stay in touch with reality.

That is why it is good to "gamify" things/activities...just to make it less intimidating...NOW!

Yet, we shouldn't lose touch with reality and we should learn how to apply what we learn during those "fun times" when we move forward in real life!

So when we communicate with our fellow teammates during this marathon, be real, be genuine! Even in games, when something is worth doing, it's worth DOING IT WELL!

Don't allow only the points to drive you! Even though you are having fun now, don't just do it for the fun! Realize that you are building something that will benefit you in the long term!

If you don't feel ready for something, or if it doesn't make sense to you now, or if you don't feel strong in that area yet, discuss it with your teammates and get their input! See if you can learn something (while having fun)! That is part of building those connections...those relationships!

If you start using those opportunities NOW, you will not only be building and strengthening those connections and relationships, you will also be building and strengthening the future you!

You might not even be realizing it (yet) but you are busy building your own little community (your own tribe)! So don't let the points drive you, let the TRIBE you are building drive (and carry) you!

That will LAST much longer than any points and/or digs!

So, I'd like to leave you with this: GO FOR THE REAL GOLD: CONNECTIONS!!

Then cherish it! Build It! It's more than just a tool! It's an asset! You will benefit from it for years to come! Then keep on building and never stop building!!