Building a business is like running the Comrades Marathon: it's a long distance race, not a short sprint and there are steep hills and lonely stretches along the way. To make it, you need to ensure you have a positive attitude and a deep-seated belief in yourself from the get-go. You also need to learn to maintain this enthusiastic, optimistic mindset for the long haul, regardless of the challenges you encounter.
While you may enjoy many aspects of being your own boss and building your own business it can also be lonely, tiring and, at times, even a terrifying experience. The question is, what is going to keep you putting one foot in front of the other when things get tough?
One of the secrets to ensuring that you keep moving forward, irrespective of setbacks, is to acknowledge up front that setbacks are going to occur: it is not all going to be roses. In business, as in life, it is as important to be realistic, as it is to be optimistic. Mental preparation is powerful. Have a strategy for how to deal with the disappointments, fear and the loneliness that comes with building a business.
When you start on the entrepreneurship road, you need to know what you are in for, as well as ensure that you are motivated to keep going day after day.
Top marathon tips
- It is not a sprint: If you come flying out of the starting blocks, the chances are that you are going to lose steam and fall out of the race. You need to learn to pace yourself and to prepare yourself mentally for the long road ahead. Hard work and long hours are inevitable and also necessary to succeed, but so is sleep. An all-nighter here and there is fine, but doing months of them on end will be detrimental to your business. Remember that slow and steady wins the race.
- You have to do the dreaded training: No runner wants to get up at 4am to do a training run, but there are some things that have to be done to ensure your dreams come true and you reach that finish line. Likewise, you have to face the things that you do not enjoy doing in your business and just do them. Admin is a good example – you may not feel like doing it, but it is vital to your business’s survival. Poor admin and record-keeping is one of the primary causes of business failure.
- Get kitted out: While some people are complete enigmas and can win a marathon literally wearing no shoes, the rest of us need all the gear, including compression socks and high quality shoes. The same applies when you are building a business; you need to invest in the right equipment, appropriate office space and technology and, most importantly, a quality team to ensure a successful result.
- Put the hours in: Comrades runners have to clock up hundreds of the hours on the road if they hope to finish the race. Building a business also requires long hours and hard work, especially in the initial years. The reality is that the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. You have to put the hours in.
- The importance of refuelling: Runners need energy drinks and nutritious food during a marathon to refuel if they are going to make it to the finish line. Likewise, entrepreneurs need to refuel after periods of hard work and stress. For some people, refuelling may be a night on the town with good friends, for others a spa treatment or maybe just taking a day out to watch a new series in your PJs. Whatever it is for you, make sure you do it. Refuelling is a necessity, not an indulgence.
- Let go of the bad days: Every single marathon runner has moments when he or she feels defeated. For an entrepreneur, it is inevitable. You need to remind yourself during times of disappointment or discouragement that it is not permanent; a bad day is not a bad business. Tomorrow is a new day that holds new solutions and new opportunities.
- You need a support system: Marathon runners need someone to second them during the race and having a group of supporters cheering them on makes the world of difference. The same goes for business: it is vital that you have support. Find trusted, experienced, credible people you can go to for advice and encouragement when it is needed, whether this is a mentor or fellow entrepreneur or a small business-networking group. Support is vital for success – read more about this here.
- Have clear goals: Just as a runner may aim for a sub-four hour marathon, you need to have some clear goals when it comes to your business. If you aim at nothing, that is exactly what you will achieve. Write down your objectives for your business and define what achieving them will accomplish for you – whether that is money, freedom, status, creativity or independence. Once you have done this, you will know exactly where you are going and will be motivated to get there.
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