... a marathon, not a sprint.

Finish Line

You show me a runner and I’ll show you someone who can be a successful entrepreneur.

Many parallels can be drawn between running and entrepreneurship.  First and foremost, they are both difficult as hell to be good at.  There is nothing simple about trying to get in shape through running and the same goes for attempting to turn an idea into something that provides a lifetime of income.

Running requires an incredible amount of discipline and ambition.  Anyone can run full speed for one block, once a week but that person isn’t truly exercising.  You need to set your goals high – one mile, 5 miles, a marathon – and you need to be consistent.  If four times a week is what you need to burn those calories then you have to stick to it, especially on those days when your legs feel like cinderblocks.  You have to find a way to pull yourself up and run.  The same goes for business owners.  You could run your company and make $5,000 a year but the real goal is to not have a boss and retire early.  Having a goal like that is going to require you to work, at times, more than 8 hours in a day, getting up early on weekends and postponing vacations.

Most people can’t get into shape on their own because it’s too easy to quit.  That’s why personal trainers are always in high demand.  When you’re out there alone, it’s easy to just stop and walk the rest of the way.  No one will yell at you.  In fact, no one will even notice.  You’ll say something like, “I’ll run the next two days in a row to make up for it.”  Staying mentally focused during a run is harder than monitoring your body because your mind is constantly giving you reasons to stop.  When you are your own boss, no one tells you what to do, but there's also no one to motivate you either.  You’ll make an excuse for not picking up the phone to make that sales call.  You’ll tell yourself that you’ll make twice as many calls the next day to make amends.  Many entrepreneurs don’t fail because of lack of talent, their minds tell them “no” so often, that they eventually give in.

Running may be hard but the rewards are undeniable.  Living a healthy lifestyle will not only allow you to live longer but will provide you with energy and confidence to tackle all of your other responsibilities.  And with your business, if you stick with it and fight through all the obstacles your dreams will literally come true.  So I guess if you want to lose those pounds or increase your bottom line, the strategy is the same…

Keep running.