Success as an Entrepreneur is NOT a Marathon

You often hear people say that the race for BIGG success as an entrepreneur is a marathon. We think they’re wrong.

In fact, we don’t think it’s a race at all. You don’t run one race – you run races. Plural.

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A series of sprints

And they’re not marathons, they’re sprints. You reach BIGG success as an entrepreneur by running a series of sprints.

You sprint every day. You strive to get to the finish line in the fastest time possible. Only then – unlike a sprinter who has just completed a race in the athletic world – you line up for another one!

Sure, you may take a short break between races, but you’re driven. You have more work you love to do. So you keep pushing day after day, from one sprint to another.

A money management principle applied to time management

Now there’s a reason why we think making this distinction – between a marathon and a series of sprints – is important. It has to do with conditioning.

Don’t train for a slow, steady, long race. Prepare yourself for fast, hard-charging bursts!

So rather than run – run – run – rest, think run – rest – run – rest.

This is a concept we can apply from money management to time management. It’s called duration matching.

When dealing with money, you want to match the duration of your debt to the expected life of the asset that debt is financing. Do something similar with your time.

If you’re not running a marathon, if you’re in a series of sprints, take frequent, short breaks rather than longer ones. Get away from your work every hour or two.

An important part of rest

But just as important as when you rest is how you rest. The BIGG idea behind BIGG success is synergy.

The right rest at the right time ramps up your running ability.

So while you get the rest you need, you don’t give up anything for it. In fact, quite the opposite – you get even more done.

If you’re a long-time reader, you know we believe in life blend. And this run – rest concept is part of that. You need variety. It’s up to you what it is, but it’s a custom blend.

If it works for you, it works! For example:

• We often take quick breaks where stand up, stretch our legs and clue each other in to what we’re working on. One of us may have an idea the other hadn’t thought about.
  

• We often find that when we step away from my desk for just a minute or two – to grab a cup of coffee, walk around or get outside – it often helps us get unstuck.
  

• Another thing we’re fitting into the blend is to make sure we exercise. It doesn’t mean the brain shuts off. It just means we work the body too.
  

• But sometimes shutting the brain off is just the thing. Research
  published in Psychological Science suggests that mindless tasks which allow your thoughts to roam can be springboards for creative thinking.
  

Participants in the study were presented with a creative challenge. Immediately after, the first group performed an intellectually demanding task while a second group did an undemanding one.

The researchers concluded that doing a mindless task allows your brain to wander more.

So next time you get stuck – mop the floor, file away some papers or clean off your desk.

Take frequent, short rest breaks so you can keep sprinting to BIGG success!

What do you think? Is the race for success a marathon or a series of sprints? How often do you rest?

Direct link to The Bigg Success Show audio file | podcast:
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