The Marathon Myth & The Wisdom to Pause

Dear Hustlers,

The entrepreneurial journey? It's not a sprint; it's a marathon—a cliché, I know. Yet, what's seldom discussed is the wisdom of knowing when to hit the pause button, recalibrate with your squad, or, in certain instances, push through the fatigue. The mythology of the relentless hero, perpetuated by the likes of... well, every success story ever told, often overshadows a crucial strategy: discernment.

The Ask for Help: A Growth Lever, Not a Weakness

Asking for help isn't just a "nice-to-have"; it's a growth hack. It's about dialing the correct number at the right time. Want exponential growth? Then know this: specificity in your request is your ally. It signals to your champions - your team of indomitable spirits - that you're serious, focused, and not just fishing in the dark. It's what separates the visionaries from the wanderers.

Curating Your Champions Circle

Every entrepreneur needs a league of extraordinary individuals. These aren't just people who nod along but those who challenge you, stand by you when you're ready to pivot and celebrate the small wins with you. Remember, in the grand tapestry of success, diversity isn't just a buzzword; it's your strongest thread. Engage with those who bring different flavors to the table, but ensure they're all chefs who can handle the heat of the kitchen.

The need to get through Perturbation

"Just before everything changes state, we have to go through Perturbation. If we don't make it through this, if it doesn't transform through to the next phase, it stays where it is. Making it through perturbation is a skill - maybe it goes your way, maybe it doesn't but it's always going to transform."

The Stagnation Dilemma: To Push or To Pause?

Feeling stuck is part of the deal. The path forward is only sometimes illuminated with neon signs. Sometimes, it's shrouded in fog. Here's where it gets real: do you forge ahead or step back? The answer isn't in the persistence of effort but in the agility of strategy. You can engage with your champions and pivot if you have to, but always keep one eye on the horizon. As I've said, good partners protect you from the world, and great partners protect you from yourself.

Stay calm - don't flog a dead horse - How can you use the great people around you to move you forward - how can you ask for help so they can help you make an informed decision?

LinkedIn: Your Digital Salon

In this digital renaissance, LinkedIn is your salon. It's where ideas converge, debates happen, and sometimes, revolutions are birthed. Launching a newsletter isn't just about thought leadership; it's about inviting others to join your journey, sharing your trials, triumphs, and everything in between. It's your narrative, make it count.

The Entrepreneur's Odyssey

This odyssey of creation, innovation, and sometimes frustration is relentless. It demands not just courage but also the wisdom to know when to advance and when to retreat for a strategic recalibration. Your champions are your compass, your resilience is your map, and platforms like LinkedIn are your megaphone.

So here's to the wisdom of pauses, the power of a champion team, and the courage to ask for help. The marathon continues, but remember, even the most enduring runners know the value of a well-timed break.

Human Durability: The Entrepreneur's Playbook Inspired by Olympian Stamina

Entrepreneurs, lean in. If your life's work were a Netflix series, it would be titled "The Marathon of Marathons." Here's the thing: even marathons have hydration stations. Enter Steve Anderson , our own R3i Ventures Champion, 5x Olympian, and medal-winning Olympic Coach, who schools us on the triad of triumph: rest, recovery, and recharge. Let's dissect these.

1. Rest: The Art of Doing Sweet Nothing

Steve hits the nail when he says, "Rest is nothing." Yes, you read that right. In the relentless hustle culture, rest is often cloaked in guilt. The entrepreneur's paradox is believing that a moment spent, not grinding, is a moment wasted. But here's the counterintuitive truth: rest is your stealth weapon. It's about unplugging, not just switching to low-battery mode. Remember, your ability to do nothing directly correlates with your innovation capacity.

2. Recovery: More Than a Buzzword

Recovery isn't just a cool-down period; it's about restoring your mental, physical, and emotional equilibrium. It's acknowledging that the race isn't lost in taking a pit stop but often won because of it. Recovery means allowing your brain to wander in the vast plains of creativity, untouched by the day's urgencies. Think of it as defragmenting your hard drive, a necessary process for optimal performance.

3. Recharge: The Entrepreneurial Elixir

Recharge isn't merely a change of scenery or a switch in tasks. It's engaging in activities that replenish your energy reserves. For some, it's the solitude of long swims or early morning shower meditations, navigating through water as thoughts seamlessly align. For others, it's binging on a series or diving into the pages of a book. It's personal to you, but it's essential, and most importantly, it should be scheduled, not left to the whims of an overcrowded calendar.

Planning Your Pit Stops

Steve asks, "Do you plan anything to help yourself rest, recover, or recharge throughout the week?" This is where the rubber meets the road. Planning your downtime is as crucial as mapping out your business strategies. Without it, you're merely running on fumes, heading towards an inevitable burnout.

(Now mapping those daily rowing sprints as I write !)

The Unseen Race

What's fascinating here is the inherent challenge posed by Steve: the quest for balance in an entrepreneur's life. It's a silent race, often overshadowed by the flashy sprints of securing funds or launching products. Yet, this unseen marathon determines your longevity in the game.

In the spirit of champions, let's recalibrate. Your mission, should you accept it, involves integrating rest, recovery, and recharge into the very fabric of your entrepreneurial journey. It's about recognizing that these elements aren't detours but part of the main road to enduring success.

So, as you sprint, jog, or walk through the marathon of your entrepreneurial journey, remember to hydrate—not just with water but with rest, recovery, and recharge.

How will you use the team around you to build your team of champions?

What are the top 10 things you need to be working on - the 20% you need to find to put 80% of your effort into.

Not the things you like - but the things that are going to move you forward to accelerate your destination - to accelerate your return.

How are you going to get through this period of perturbation?

Because your greatest asset isn't your startup—it's you.

Together, we rise.

What is R3i Planet43?

The R3i Ventures Planet43 accelerator programs seek to provide in-market commercialization, capitalization, and clinical /R&D incubation via regional programs.?

These accelerators deliver for R3I CAPITAL and its partners a robust global sourcing, selection, and due diligence engine via accelerator programs to advance target portfolio companies' worldwide expansion and growth.

Together, we accelerate impact!