Your Business is Like a Marathon

I read something interesting recently, that if you want to run a successful business and lead a more fulfilled life, you need to approach them both like a marathon runner in training. With the risk of sounding cheesy, life is a marathon not a sprint! Work can be too. So why would you spend your day in work as a marathon and then do the same marathon effort in your personal life at home. Something has to give.

Look at marathon runners however. They have a huge challenge ahead that they need to prepare for. They need to pace themselves and get the timing right. And this means that they don’t run flat out in preparation every day. Pace is key.

If anything they only do one long run a week. Maybe four days of short runs and 2 days rest. How many of us plough through week after week, not taking a break and yet we expect to continue as we are with success. In reality we are fated to be thrown off our schedule through injury. It is not a feasible way to proceed and our expectations are way off if you think we are.

We all need these breaks in order to progress, grow and stay strong. Your business is not a sprint if you think it is, you probably wont be in business for long. Think longterm and you are half way there. You acknowledge that plans need to be put in place for longevity and to think strategically for what lies ahead. Marathon runners don’t just jump into a marathon without preparation, if they do they don’t finish the race.  Your business can operate the same way. But you need to know how to pace yourself and all importantly take the best breaks along the way to emerge refreshed and ready for the next stage. And to do just that Ted and I are heading away today to the beautiful Mount Wolseley for a little celebration, time off and more importantly time together.