In August of 2023 I found myself searching for an opportunity to kickstart a well overdue exercise regiment. At the time I was casually going to the gym about 2-3 days a week but wasn't seeing the results I wanted. I knew I needed a drastic change in order to see the results I knew I was capable of. Not long after I was invited by a couple of neighbors to go for a run. It was a blistering hot summer day in Houston, TX, 103 to be exact, and felt like the perfect time to try something out of my comfort zone. After what felt like the longest two miles ever, I lay on my living room floor, gazing at the ceiling, and thought to myself, "I can do this."
During this time I found myself slipping into a quite depression still trying to find peace from the passing of my brother Ray. Having already experienced the dread of depression from over a decade prior I knew I never wanted to go back into that state, I didn't want my pregnant wife or my toddler daughter to have to experience that version of me, and I couldn't let my business fail without fighting back. The last text message my brother sent to me before he passed in February of 2021 was that he always knew I was "going to be someone to do big things in life". This sentiment became my driving force as I committed to running my first marathon.
On Jan 14, 2024 in 30 degree wind-chill temperature - from "couch to marathon in 60 days" I was successful in crossing the finish line under my goal of 6 hours. As a business owner of an independent boutique wealth management firm I learned several lessons throughout my training that directly translate to how I run my practice.
Here are 4 lessons I learned and how it helped shape my business philosophy.
If you want to go far, go as a team
I began my research and realized that in order to reach my goal, I would require assistance. After registering for the race and mentally preparing myself for the challenge, I acknowledged that I lacked the knowledge to create the necessary training regimen. Even though I could have conducted the research and devised a plan on my own, I decided to seek guidance from the experts. That's when I discovered Tim Neckar , the ultimate authority in endurance training, a legendary figure who has completed 100 ULTRA marathons - yes, that's 100 times 100-mile marathons.
I knew Tim was my guy upon scrolling through his website, www.runnerone.com, when I came across a quote that stated "We plan the work, then work the plan". After a brief phone call I signed up for two months of training that consisted of a formalized plan and joint workout sessions both on my own and with Tim.
After completing our first 5am workout run I asked Tim if he thought I could accomplish my goal of running the full marathon in 60 days. Without hesitation he confidently said "oh absolutely!" and at that point any doubt I had was non existent.
Running on a motivational high I decided I also wanted to engage with a dietician to help me enhance my training efforts through a regimented healthy diet. After meeting Laura and learning she'd completed 20 marathons in her career and attributing her diet to a major reason why she was successful I was even more motivated to use her knowledge as well.
Also not to be dismissed was my wife who knew I would need to be away from home more as I trained in the early morning hours which required her to hold down the fort and care for our 2 yr old daughter.
Business Takeaway - It's true, as individuals we are absolutely capable of accomplishing anything we set our minds to, but that doesn't mean we have to go alone. By delegating tasks we accomplish more than we can ever achieve as individuals including building trust, empowering partners, freeing up our time to focus on projects that can enhance the overall mission.
Goal Plan Strategy
For the record- I have never been a runner, but somehow a marathon was always on my bucket list.
As an Financial advisor, I encourage my clients to approach their finances with the same level of dedication as they would any other important life goal. Using the acronym GPS (Goal, Plan, Strategy), we establish a clear path towards achieving their desired financial destination. Just how I set a goal to run a marathon, I worked with coach Tim to develop a 60-day run/walk plan. The strategy involved gradually increasing my running time by 30 seconds each week and decreasing my walking time from 2 minutes to 1 minute after completing a half marathon. By the end of the 60 days, the aim was to run for 10 minutes straight and walk for 2 minutes during the marathon. Additionally, our plan included sprint drills to increase pace and weekly increments in the mileage of our "long run" to increase endurance.
Business Takeaway - It can be tempting to lose focus in our daily routines, but once the plan is set, the key is to follow through. Always keep the end goal in sight. Whether it's achieving a revenue target, increasing sales, or gaining new clients, reverse engineering the plan and implementing the strategy is crucial. This principle applies not only in business but also when guiding clients to develop a successful plan that matches their financial goals in the short and long term. Success is only possible when all three elements are in place and executed effectively.
Run your race
I've trained for a whole 3 days at this point, all short distances, and had my first competitive run- the 10k. I was trained to go into each long distance run with a plan and strategy. The goal was to finish a 6.2 mile run, my plan was to alternate walking and running to avoid burnout, the strategy was alternating between 6 minutes running at a comfortable 8-10 min pace, and 2 minutes fast walking which would yield about 10-12 reps given my beginner pace. While this all sounds good on paper it's the complete opposite of what happened that warm saturday morning.
After the first 6 minute marker I noticed there were men and women of all ages comfortably passing me up. I knew I was out of shape but not like this. Here's where my pride got in the way. Rather than sticking to the plan and allowing several people to pass me by I thought to myself "surely I can outrun him...and her.. and wow good for him he looks like he's pushing 90 and still outrunning me." Not only did I abandon walking but also sped up my pace. After finally getting to the halfway point I noticed something that made for a lifelong valuable lesson. 99% of the people there were only running a 5k! As everyone crossed my halfway point and strolled into the venue I still had another 5k to run. With only a handful of other participants in sight I reminded myself that I had a plan and strategy for a reason and while making adjustments is always important - abandoning a well thought-out strategy based on your own situation is not advisable.
Business Takeaway- Nowadays, it seems like we are constantly bombarded with images of others achieving "more success" in their professional lives. However, it's important to remember that not everything we see is the full picture, and everyone is at a different stage based on their own hard work. Comparing ourselves to others without considering the context can lead to unfair judgments. The only competition that truly matters is the one we have with ourselves. It's crucial to stay focused on our own goals and strategies so that we can evaluate our progress effectively and strive for better results in the future.
If it were easy, everyone would do it
This one I owe entirely to my blessing of a wife and life partner, Abana Azariah. After finishing my first 10k early in my training I hobbled into our home proudly wearing a medal around my neck but feeling anything but confident that I could complete a full marathon at any point in the future. I laughingly said "if I could barely finish a 10k- how the hell am I going to finish 4 of these in one day?!" She smiled at me and reminded me of a simple thought that I use everytime I come across a challenge that I accepted in life and in business "if it were easy, everyone would do it. But lucky for you, you don't have to finish the marathon today. Your goal was to finish 6.2- and you did." I owned this sentiment throughout the rest of my training as the miles began to rack up and my waistline began to slim down. All I needed to do was win today and gradually increase my mileage in training every week and the end result would figure itself out.
Business Takeaway- There are moments when business doesn't go the way we expect. It's easy to feel like throwing in the towel and moving on to something else. But it's important to remember why you started your business - your mission, purpose, passion, and the desire to serve your community in the best way possible. While business may feel like a full contact sport that needs to be won in the moment, its important to never lose sight of the long run.