This post is written more than 3 weeks since the last one. The reason for the long lay off is because I have been very busy with other projects at this point in time. But I am a scribe at heart, so here is my thought for the hot and balmy Sunday.
Marathon runners make natural entrepreneurs. Some are successful ones at that (I am still struggling). Why ? Here are some reasons which the rite of passage of marathoners (I have 10 under my belt) and entrepreneurs go through which are SO SIMILAR :
1. They set big goals (42.194km or longer)
2. They have to strategise to break down the goals into smaller goals ; so for the marathoner, he will have to break down the goal into smaller bite size distances starting from 5 km and slowly 'raising the bar' to almost 40 km before he is confident to tackle the distance. It took me a whole of one and a half years (from 2002) for my actual dedication to the sport to feel confident of running the entire 42.194 km distance - that was the Penang Marathon in 2003.
The runs started with 2.4km, gradually I increased the distances (and set aside longer times) to 5km, 8km, 10km, 12km, 15km, 18km, 20km, 25km, 30km and so on. I kept myself motivated by referring to the Runners World (Print Edition) and then trying through this initial period of waking up early in the mornings, at 5 am to clock in 10km for weeks and months on end. Later on, through the guidance of the schedules set out in Runners World (this was in the early 2000s mind you), I managed to review the best kinds of shoes for my foot strike type - I am a natural pronator (meaning I land on the ball on my feet and not flat footed or a supinator where my feet lands and then rolls off to one side).
There are numerous shoes types for various types of runners, and mine was regular biomechanically efficient - so I chose the Cushioned Shoes. After a few tryouts, I decided the best shoe for me was the ASICs Kayanos.
I have been a fan of this shoe for the last 18 years and have easily over 20 pairs (kept in the basement of my house !).
3.They are patient ; well I took 1 and a half years to get my body (and mind) conditioned to run a full marathon !
4. They are persistent. Who in their right mind would day in day out go and run in the early morning to greet the sun while their other halves (or partners) are still sound asleep ?
5. They accept a) loneliness b) pain and c) injury (setbacks) as part of the process. This is so crucial to all marathoners and entrepreneurs.
6. They accept failure as part of the process. This is the most painful part. There will be numerous critics, naysayers, people who talk bad about you behind your back and so called 'friends' who drink with you but add no value to you or your goals. Minimise the time with them.
7. There is grit in their mental and physical attitude.
8. Loneliness is tough but the focus is on the goal and nothing else.
9. Entrepreneurs and Marathoners are solitary creatures. Like Eagles. They do things quietly but with razer sharp vision on getting what they want out of that meeting or discussion.
10. Marathoners and Entrepreneurs know their goals are lofty. They share a camaderie of knowing that they are, like Eagles' are born and not made. So they savor every meeting to cast and thrash ideas and running plans to get to their goal in better shape.
There are no short cuts.
11. When the Goal is Reached the Satisfaction is Temporary, but Real. Then it is time to Exit Graciously.
CARPE DIEM
