6 Tips Marathons Taught Me About Business

WRITTEN BY: Bethany Tapp, CPT/Pilates Instructor/Meditation Teacher
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I ran in college and continued my love of running post-college. Since, I’ve finished 4 marathons & 12 half-marathons all while managing the buildup of 4 different startups. Here’s 6 tips to takeaway from my experience. 

1. Health must come before wealth.
During my short stint managing the 3rd startup I got too caught up into work life and pay incentives. I wound up at the hospital due to severe burnout where I was forced to give my notice. No employment and 5 weeks of bedrest later, I learned my lesson. 

2. Your body and mind are capable of more than you think.
In today’s world only doing the bare minimum is common. Most people rarely get close to their upper limit on production, movement, energy output, etc.

3. Sleep is 1 of the most important habits you can do consistently to keep your output high. 
If you’re training for a marathon, sleep is essential. Your body will break down quickly without sleep. If you’re building a company and you want to be in it for the long game, good sleep is a MUST! 

4. Make sure to keep a standard whether that’s with your training for a marathon or while building a company.
A standard keeps you on track with your training. For example, 2 runs per week with a group, long runs Sundays, etc. This sets you apart from other people and gives you an edge.

5. Decide and Move.
This is a super important concept, as most people only have a narrow window of time for their daily marathon training daily. Make sure you know what workout you have planned for the day and then do it. It’s also a vital concept when just starting out a company. You need to make decisions, execute, and then go on to the next project.

6. Trust yourself.
There will always be times when training for a marathon that you feel as if your body is breaking down or close to it. At these times don’t forget about the first takeaway: prioritize sleep, increase protein, and decide whether or not to go all out in a hard workout. Within a company, stay true to your internal compass.
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Follow my running journey as I train for my 5th marathon this spring and join me on MotivateU to help achieve your goals!

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