That's What We Do

A few days ago, I went for a run. There wasn't anything special about this particular run. I had run that distance hundreds of times, ran at that time of day many times, and even ran that particular route a few times. Another thing that wasn't entirely unusual was that...I really didn't want to run.

It was a Monday morning. I dropped my wife's van off at the Firestone for an oil change, and I was going to take advantage of the time to get in one of my regular runs for the week. The weather was as good as it would get, I didn't have anywhere else to be, and it was just a very convenient time to get in the miles. The only problem was that I just didn't feel like running. Every step was a chore, all the way until the end practically. I was actually a little relieved when the auto shop called and said the van was ready. It meant that I had a great reason not to add any extra miles in. I could go ahead and end it at three miles as I had planned.

So what does this have to do with business? Much more than you may think.

The reality of "being your own boss" is that you frequently have to do things you don't want to do. Many people think that being your own boss is wonderful. If you want a day off, you take a day off. If you don't want to do a specific task, you simply don't do it. All of that is true, unless you actually want to be successful. If you want to ensure success, you do whatever it takes, whether or not you feel like it at the time. It's a vital key to being successful in business: discipline.

So to close out my running story, I'll answer the question of why I went running that day, and continued running, when I most certainly didn't feel like it. The answer is simple: I did it because I am a runner. That's what runners do.

If you are a business owner, and you plan to be successful, it's the same. You do what's necessary because that's what successful people do, regardless of how we may feel at the moment. It truly does come down to something as simple as that. Doing what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, regardless of whether we "want to" or not.

I hope these thoughts are helpful for you. If we can be of assistance with your business strategy, please reach out using our Contact page.

As always, I wish you the best in all your endeavors.

Mark Goldman