Any entrepreneur must follow these rules. In essence, they are what make life worth living. It’s the only way to break your own four-minute mile – at least if you want to do the impossible.
The following are 12 lessons I’ve learned from running.
1. Put in hard work
Steve Prefontaine: “Somebody may beat me, but they will have to bleed to do so.”
Put in hard work. Nothing can be done about it. That’s why it’s so important. It will determine everything else.
Having just graduated from university, I had no idea what I was doing when I built my first startup. With my huge ego, I thought I knew everything there was to know about starting and running a startup. However, I didn’t. It was my first race without any training. There was something ugly about it. I learned on the fly, which is fine with me. However, I had people who relied on me. My level of unpreparedness hurt them.
Work hard. To prepare for a race, you must put your heart and soul into it. Here is where races are won and lost.
2. Sacrifice for the greater good
Zapotek is one of the greatest runners of all time. Neither Emil’s talent nor genetics made him a great runner. However, he made sacrifices. No one else can compare. It was a win for him.
It takes a lot of sacrifice to build a startup. While working through the night at my company, I slept on the floor. An old relationship ended badly for me. I lost friends because I didn’t have time to see them anymore. The first startup I started was a financial disaster. I made a sacrifice that made me a better entrepreneur in the end. It made my following ventures so much better.
3. Decide to make positive choices
A lot of decisions will need to be made in your life. Ensure you make the right choice. Make sure you choose those who will benefit you.
It was against my gut that I chose the investor with the better term sheet in my startup, and I paid dearly for it. It was important to me to get the money. It turned ugly when the company went downhill. My choice wasn’t the right one – and I paid for it dearly.
4. Get to know your potential
According to a recent article, unless you are an ultra-elite runner, you can always run faster. I always do. It applies to everything we do, in my opinion. There are very few people who are able to reach their full potential.
Find out what your potential is. Discover your strengths and improve them. Get better at what you’re good at instead of mediocre at what you’re bad at. I don’t think it’s worth it. I learned a lot about myself doing startups, working at large, fast-growing companies, and helping other entrepreneurs. I think I know my strengths now, and I am sure I haven’t reached my full potential yet. Don’t stop pushing. Take on the role of Muhammad Ali.
5. Make high goals for yourself
Roger, remember him? People believed that the human body could never run that fast when Roger set out to break the four-minute mile. The doctors believed that running that fast would cause the heart to explode. Roger knew it was possible despite all this – he set his goal so high. The four-minute barrier was broken by a handful of runners only weeks after he did. Their heads were the only barrier.
It is impossible to change the world if you do not set out to do so. You should be bold. Make your dreams come true. We can put a man on the moon, who would have thought? Can a little social network for Harvard students become the world’s largest website?
6. Under pressure, relax
Take a close look at Shalane Flanagan’s facial expression in this photo. Shalane holds the 3000m world record. While racing, she is completely relaxed and in the zone.
Performing at your best is impossible if you are tense. People around you will be irritated by you. I remember being tense when I did my first company. The people I yelled at were angry with me. That wasn’t nice – and it didn’t help. It is important to learn how to relax under pressure. You will feel better if you breathe deeply.
7. Acute pain during an attack
Life is full of pain. You will feel pain at some point in your life. There are two ways to handle it: either you allow it to dominate you or you attack it, ignore it, and grind your way through it. After all, pain is simply a neuro-signal. Willpower can help you get through it. Pain is a purifier. The man is Arnold.
There have been many times when I have just wanted to stop. I wanted nothing more than to give in to the pain. Taking a break is also an option. I run my businesses, live my life, and live my life. Regardless of what you feel, ignore it. You have to grind through it. This is just a neuro-signal. It’s worth it – keep going.
8. Keep the pace up
Do not hold back when you go out. Do not race in the shadows of others and try to sneak by on the last few meters. Make sure you don’t let up on the pace. To this day, Prefontaine remains the most courageous runner in the world. His pace never slowed down. It’s always true.
You decided to start your own business. Put every muscle in your body to work, pushing the pace continuously. You should be bold. True leaders must do this in order to succeed.
9. Teamwork is key
At first glance, running appears to be a very solitary activity. No, that’s not the case. In the first three rounds of Roger’s record run, he was paced by two good friends. Your team is everything to you. You cannot exist without them.
Teamwork should be embraced within your organization. Anything else is impossible unless you work together for a common goal. Even with Steve Jobs’ brilliant mind, he couldn’t accomplish much without his team.
10. To win, you must run
During the Battle of Marathon, Pheidippides reported the Greek victory to Athens. Make sure you treat the marathon with respect. It’s all about winning. Each and every time.
You shouldn’t get into business unless you’re in it to win. Don’t give up until you win. Pheidippides should be honored. Run like Usain Bolt.
11. It’s time to defeat the wall
In the end, I will make it a pure guts race, and if it is, I am the only one who can win.” – Steve Prefontaine
It is inevitable that you will hit the wall during a marathon. Running 21 miles leaves your body low on glycogen and it wants to shut down. It is at this point that your will is most tested. By pushing through it, you succeed. Although your stomach started cramping up at mile 15, you force carbohydrates into your body. But you always knew – it’s possible. As a result, you persevered and put one foot in front of the other. Continually repeat. Keep repeating.
I hit the wall in every endeavor I undertake. I always had days when I didn’t want to get out of bed. When I felt like giving up and throwing everything down the drain. Keep persevering. Don’t waste time getting dressed, getting to work, and getting going. You have to force yourself through it. There won’t be a long lasting effect. Walls can be defeated.
12. Focusing on the same thing all the time
Running involves hours and hours of repetition. Focus and consistency are essential.
Nothing can be done about it.
Making it the main thing in your company and then executing on it are the two most important things. In the end, it doesn’t matter how flashy and glamorous it looks – it’s how you achieve your goal. The advice I received from my first employer was ignored. I was always on the lookout for the next new thing. Resulting in failure.