Building Up Your Endurance

In high school, I ran on the track team. While I was often placed in the sprinting events, my true passion was long distance. My coach never put me in long distance because I was built with a sprinters body not a long distance one. But I knew that to finish any race involved mental stamina and I could finish a long distance race if given the opportunity.

One day, opportunity showed up. After a dismal track meet, the coach made the entire team run the two mile race, which was the last race of the track meet. I suppose that running two miles would be a punishment for most but I loved that race. The only difference is that we had to start after the other runners started and stay on the outside lanes so as not to interfere with the runners who were being timed.

To everyone’s surprise, I “placed” that is, if I was truly being timed. The coach couldn’t believe it but I knew deep inside that it wasn’t the fact that I didn’t have that super lean long-distance body rather it was my mindset and determination.

Many small business owners look at the start of their business as the reason why the business isn’t doing well and justify it by looking at the exte
al things, “I didn’t have funding.” “I’ve never owned a business before.” “The economy is bad.” Like running a long-distance race, success is the result of a healthy mindset, preparation, practice, and keeping focused on what’s ahead.
Success isn’t dependent on your start, but requires your willingness to build up your endurance. When you focus on the inside and the opportunity arrives, you’re ready to step up to the plate and shine.