Common Lessons in Triathlon and Business

In 2021, I went from the most out of shape I'd ever been to the best shape of my life. During that journey, I got into triathlon training and in December 2021 I completed my first half Ironman. During all the long hours, I found a lot of similarities between training for triathlon and running a business. I share some of those below.

1. There's no replacement for hard work. All the tech, gadgets, and tools are nice but they?don't move the needle much on performance. I tried all the cool tech that makes you 0.1% better, but 99% of my improvement came from just putting in the work.?It's the same in business - better email tools, automated calendaring, AI bots - they're cool, but 99% of success and output comes from putting in the time.
2. Consistency, discipline, and patience are requirements for performance. There's no shortcut for success.?You need to practice discipline. You need to be consistent week after week and month after month. And most importantly you need to be patient and trust that the work you're doing today will pay off down the road. There are no shortcuts, so don't expect immediate results. Be patient and take the long view.
3. Show up every day. Especially show up on the days you DON'T want to, and put in SOMETHING rather than nothing.?We all have moments we want to quit. But what separates those who achieve their goals and those that don't is the willingness to keep going despite the overwhelming urge to quit in the moment when things get tough or you feel down. Just keep going.
4. Your performance isn't determined on race?day. It's determined by the hundreds or thousands of hours in the gym and on the bike and in the 6am runs. 99% of the work is just the daily grind of training. Your performance is determined by the stuff you do when no one's watching.?
5. Consistent hard work is required. But so are recovery days. The top athletes know the importance of rest days and plenty of quality sleep.?Professional triathletes always have one rest day a week and often will make every fourth week a lighter week. When you need to train hard, you train hard. But when you need to rest or go light, you go light. Only putting in half the work won't yield the results you want, but neither will going all-out, all the time. Both hard work and rest & recovery are necessary.
6. Run your own race. Don't measure yourself against others or you'll make stupid mistakes that'll take you out. I went slow and steady on the bike and got passed by probably 200 people during the bike portion. But I passed almost all of them on the run while they were walking. I ran my own race and didn't try to keep pace with people on the bike, and that worked out for the best.?The same is true in business - if you're constantly comparing yourself against others, you'll have suboptimal results. Instead, focus on whether you're better than you were yesterday, and just strive for constant improvement - and don't worry about those other people that seemingly are advancing past you. With patience, you'll pass them at the right time.
7. We cannot succeed alone. Countless people helped me this year on my journey. From teaching me how to properly swim, to showing me how to use a road bike, to helping support me through my lowest periods. In business, it's the same - we all need to support each other, provide words of encouragement, and share our knowledge in order for all of us to succeed.?We're all in this together, and no one succeeds alone.