Our Commercial Director, Paul Lofthouse, successfully completed an Ironman triathlon, which comprised a 2.4 miles swim, 112 miles cycle and running for 26.2 miles. This impressive task was achieved within 11 hours and 44 minutes.
But achieving this dream didn’t come overnight. While Paul was reasonably fit and had completed a few marathons, he could barely swim and hadn’t cycled in earnest for decades.
It took a lot of planning coupled with determination and sheer hard work to face the physical and mental challenges that the Ironman triathlon the triathlon presented.
The parallels that can be drawn between applying the techniques between achieving a big goal like this and running a successful business shouldn’t go unnoticed.
Here’s our tips on how to improve your chances of achieving your ambition, no matter how impossible it seems.
Make a plan. It sounds obvious, but to achieve any goal, you need to think about how you’ll get there. Write down the actions you’ll need to complete. Think about the skills equipment and resources you’ll need; the help you’ll need from other people; any finances required; and a realistic timetable. Writing all this down will not only help clarify what you need to do, it’ll also be a useful document to show anyone who may want to pitch in and help out.
Put in the time. When the going gets tough, stick in and use your time wisely. Make your goals time-bound and set realistic but aggressive deadlines so that your goals challenge you. Even if it’s just 20 minutes each day – be ruthless about using this time to help achieve your ambition.
Focus your energy. Plan and monitor your performance. Stop dissipating your energy in areas which won’t take you closer to your goal. Instead, review your plan and its actions and be prepared to review and revise as you go along.
Seek support. No matter how ambitious you are to succeed, it can be difficult to achieve goals on your own. So, if you’re serious about achieving your big goal build a support network. Get friends and family involved to cheerlead you; find a mentor who can help you stay on track; or join a group of like-minded people who may be willing to help you.
Don’t be shy! With the right plan in place you can dream big and enjoy the success of achieving your goal! #WayTheForceBeWithYou