The Endurance Factor

In my pre-teen years, my mother introduced me and my sibling to board games. And, since that time, it’s been game-on for us.

It wasn’t unusual to have our living room transformed into a battleground on a Saturday night. One game we often played—even before we fully understood the strategy behind it—was Monopoly. My siblings and I were fierce competitors, each determined to bankrupt the other.

The game would start innocently enough, with friendly banter and laughter. But as the night wore on, the gloves came off. We’d taunt each other with sly remarks, gloat over our victories and commiserate over our losses.

Invariably, side deals and alliances would form. The once-friendly atmosphere would turn into an animated rivalry, with each player vying for dominance.

Getting Pacific Avenue, North Carolina Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue (those dark green properties just before Park Place and Boardwalk) was a common goal of mine. While I believed I was the master strategist, calculating my next move, my siblings had their own plans.

Our games would often drag on for hours, with fortunes shifting and alliances breaking throughout the night. In the end, only one player would emerge victorious, claiming the title of Monopoly champion (at least for that evening). The winner was the player who could outlast all others.

Just as in a game of Monopoly, the ultimate victor in business is often the one who can outlast the competition. While short-term gains and quick wins may seem enticing, sustainable success requires a long-term view. This is true at every phase of business.

Think of your business as a marathon, not a sprint. The ability to endure setbacks and adapt to changing market conditions is key. To do so, you have to be efficient with your spending such that your business finds both top and bottom-line growth. The executive who can weather the ups and downs and stay in the game the longest is often the one who emerges victorious.

This endurance requires the ability to learn from mistakes and pivot when necessary. It's not always about crossing the finish line first, but about staying in the race long enough to see the competition drop out. So, keep pushing and keep learning. The marathon is long, but the rewards for the persistent are abundant.

#businessstrategy #longtermsuccess #marathonmindset

Katherine Hunter-Blyden is a CMO Partner at TechCXO. She is a senior marketing executive with P&L management experience. As a full-stack marketer, Katherine's experience includes brand strategy, advertising, digital marketing, sales promotion, product management, pricing and market research. Katherine helps businesses meet their goals with data-driven, quantifiable results.