Entrepreneurs and half marathons

ENTREPRENEURSHIP: LESSONS FROM MY RECENT HALF MARATHON

Entrepreneurship and half marathons, an analogy. So on April 22nd I decided to participate in the Divas Running Series in Galveston. There was great excitement at the starting line, my mental positioning was on point, and my expectations were realistic on what I could accomplish based on my training. In addition the weather was perfect and the ocean view mesmerizing. Everyone looked festive and beautiful in their pink tees and tutus. At approximately 6:30a.m we started, many talking, laughing and high-fiving each other. On the long road while in motion I couldn’t help thinking of the analogy that existed between what I was doing at that moment, and entrepreneurship or any new venture I was embarking on.

BEGINNING – FRESH EXCITEMENT: When we first have an idea and at initial execution there is usually a lot of excitement: We just can’t wait to start, we know where we are going, have written down our goals, our minds are alert, and we are part of a community of other like minded entrepreneurs which makes anything seem possible. Like the beginning of the half marathon, nothing’s hurting, all our training is kicking in, the high-fiving is going on, and the end goal seems easily attainable…until the next phase. 

MIDDLE – STRESS AND ATTACKS:  This happens around the the 8th mile for some and is when the legs start feeling the strain, the mental battle commerces, the crowd thins, the high-fiving is few and far between, and all that’s left is one foot in front of the other. In entrepreneurship or whatever path you are on, this is the stage where the sales are low, the subscribers are trickling in – as in tiny drops of in – the support team might be expressing doubts, other entrepreneurs have quit, the path gets lonelier and lonelier as the crowd thins, every insecurity in you is screaming as loudly as possible for you to stop, and basically everything just plain sucks. This is the stage where the end goal just seems so far away and words like,”is it even worth it?” “just get a regular job,” “why are you wasting your time?” “look how behind you are compared to your colleagues,” resounds loudly to the core. Like the half marathon race you must decide to put one foot in front of the other, until you see…

END – THE FINISH LINE:  It’s beginning to be so worth it, even though it still hurts. That foot still in front of the other, you finally see the end zone, when your name will be called and you will get a shiny metal to put around your neck. Then you will realize something that will stay with you for the next venture or as you carry on. You realize that the race wasn’t about competing against others, it wasn’t about showing off, it wasn’t about the accolades, it wasn’t about the pack you started out with. It was simply “your race, your pace,” and your personal satisfaction at the end, because you did reach the finish line and win your race. So it is in entrepreneurship, you will get to the finish line if you continue, you will get more subscribers, you will make more sales, and you will learn enough to continue on.

In conclusion, entrepreneurship is a journey, your journey. Keep your head up, run the race, and keep one foot in front of the other. The results will come.

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