Working Backwards towards the Think Big Goal: THE IRON MAN

Amidst the loud cheers and thumping music the golden words echoed, "Tanmay Dubey from India, you are an Ironman," Carrying the Indian national flag, I danced on the red carpet towards the finish line, having conquered one of the most prestigious and gruelling single-day endurance events. The 25th Edition of Ironman Klagenfurt challenged me with a 3.8km open water swim in chilly conditions, a 180km bike ride through hilly terrain with 2,000m of elevation (most of it in pouring rain), and a full 42.2km marathon ( total 226Kms in 15hrs 58mins) amidst the cheers and shouts of "HOP, HOP" by the enthusiastic crowd in the picturesque Austrian town.

As an Amazonian, living by the Amazon leadership principles (LPs) is not just a professional endeavour but a personal one too. One of my favourite LPs is "Think Big," and each year, I set a #thinkbig goal to expand my horizons, learn new life lessons, and fuel my curiosity on life's journey. This year's goal was to complete the 25th edition of Ironman Klagenfurt with its insane climbs (2,000m) on the bike course – a perfect challenge for a slow climber like me.

Following the "Working Backwards" LP, I created a race plan based on the 5C Principle of Success: Clarity of Mind, Commitment, Consistency, Coaching, and Camaraderie.

Clarity of Mind: My "why" for the race was crystal clear. During the gruelling training schedule, which sometimes meant waking up at 3:30 AM for a 5-hour ride in peak summers, I never questioned my purpose. My thoughts were inward-focused, enjoying the process and feeling great about it – not seeking external validation or posting workout photos on social media, but loving the journey of sweating for a well-defined goal. I consciously kept limiting self-beliefs (negative thoughts) at bay. This was a valuable lesson in changing my attitude: when chasing a tough target, put doubts (including self-doubt) on the Backburner and enjoy the process.

Commitment & Consistency: At the risk of sounding like Spiderman, I will say "With great commitment comes consistency." Applying the "Bias for Action" LP, I followed my training plan to the letter. Despite work demands, travel, and late meetings, I juggled my training schedules, swimming in hotel pools and running on treadmills, ensuring I logged the right amount of training hours (approx. 11-14 hours per week) to train my muscle memory for swimming and running after cycling. Life Lesson: The surest path to success is consistency. (I have found this extremely useful while writing my novels also). ?A successful journey is a collection of many small steps taken in the right direction.

Coaching & Camaraderie: When it comes to direction, nothing beats finding the right coach who has already travelled the path ahead of you. In Abhishek Mishra Ultraman, Ironman Triathlon Finisher , I found the perfect coach – an experienced triathlete who understood the body, race nuances, and prepared customized training plans. He was approachable, humble, compassionate, and friendly. The workout plans were simple and flexible, suiting my busy routine. A good coach leads with empathy and fosters camaraderie, so you don't feel alone on the big journey. In Nitendra Rajput and Ankur Jain , I found perfect training partners who encouraged each other and celebrated our successes. The lesson: Investing in the right coach is absolutely vital in life's journey, you need like-minded people with a similar purpose to reduce the burden of toughness and share the mental load.

?