I wanted to be mortgage free by the age of 40. Now that I am 36, I don’t think I am going to make it to be honest. Mad some would say, but I didn’t think I was, proven by the fact I have been part of businesses that have made it and were close to making it. If I joined Deliveroo a bit earlier, I could have achieved my dream but that’s history now. I hopefully will be mortgage free, but not quite yet!
This often used to generate a lot of negative thoughts and I’d drove myself mad that I was not achieving what I should have. But now I am in a great position in life, working with clients in the tech, food and trades industry, which has brought my experience over the last 10 years to the surface. I’ve needed to believe in my journey more and that my efforts would pay off one day, understanding that my career is a marathon – not a sprint. Here’s why it’s important to have this mindset and why marathons and careers have so much in common.
If you want to discuss your career more – just reach out!
1. The Long Game Mentality 🏸
Careers, like marathons, require a long game mindset. It’s about pacing yourself, developing endurance, and understanding that success is often driven by consistent effort over time. It allows us to set realistic and achievable goals rather than trying to achieve too much in a short period, leading to error.
2. Enjoy refuelling 🏖️
Having a break is needed and fun! Burnout is not. Whether you’re running a marathon or following your career path, you always need a second to take a break, to energise and reflect. If you try to go full pelt 24/7 it wont help you in the long run. You’ll miss out on the important things in life like family holidays, seeing friends and participating in hobbies. We all want to do well and fast, but don’t sacrifice that drive by missing out on life.
3. Managing curveballs 😱
It is scientifically impossible to not go through life without a challenge. You have to expect the unexpected. It could be going into cramp or getting a stitch, or losing a sale after or your top performer handing in their notice. Regardless of the obstacle, we all need to learn how to prepare for the worst and how to manage challenging situations.
4. Embrace the hustle 💪🏽
If you achieve everything you want in minutes, you won’t appreciate anything! You would have ticked off all your dreams with nothing to look forward to, making future successes meaningless. So enjoy the networking, selling and just sheer task of making things happen. When it pays off in the long run, it will be the best feeling in the world.
5. Networking and Relationship Building 🫱🏽🫲🏽
Marathons often involve a community of runners supporting each other. Similarly, careers benefit from networking and relationship building. Building professional connections and collaborative partnerships contribute not only to individual success but also to the collective strength of the professional community.
6. Celebrating Milestones 🗻
Runners celebrate milestones during the race and professionals should do the same in their careers. Acknowledging and appreciating achievements, no matter how small, provides motivation and reinforces the sense of progress. Celebrating milestones contributes to a positive mindset and retains enthusiasm for the journey.
7. Building Experience 🧠
When things get tough or you need to help someone, experience is usually the key to your problem. You can’t put a price on it. Knowing how to navigate through challenges and deal with situations comes from experience only. It is something that top athletes and professionals can do better than anyone, because they have the grey hairs to show for it and the knowledge to pass on. Experience comes throughout the years, not months.
Conclusion 🏁
Be patient. Expect knock backs. Learn from the highs and lows. Lastly, believe in yourself and your abilities. Reach out to discuss you more – I am sure I could help. This is me!
