The Marathoner’s Dilemma: Run the Mile You Are In

Running a marathon is an exercise in perseverance. You need a plan for what you are going to do along the way if you are going to reach the finish. It helps to study the route in advance so you know what to expect, and it is important to set a pace that will help you finish strong.

At the same time, as much as you need to look at the miles ahead, it is important to run the mile you are in (well, “kilometer” here in Asia, but you get the idea). Without a focus on what you are doing right now, it is hard to stay on the plan you have set for yourself. You cannot be so focused on what you will do farther down the road that you screw up now and never reach the point for which you are aiming.

While strategic planning is important for your business, you cannot afford to lose sight of what is happening right now. The short term implications of the projects your employees are working on now will help you get toward your long term goals, but those short term implications need to come to fruition. Your employees need feedback now, not just later, and you need to put resources toward current work rather than just toward broader goals.

Yes, it is important to have a long range view. Yes, it is important to have a plan. At the same time, it is essential that you know what is happening now and what impact it will have so you can adjust your plan as needed. When you are running a marathon and develop a cramp at Kilometer 27, you cannot be thinking too much about Kilometer 28. You need to deal with the cramp that is hitting you now, or the effects will snowball. Changing your pace, adjusting your stride, stopping at an aid station for a massage…well, you probably do not get a lot of massages at work (unless you work for Google, of course) but the idea is the same whether you are running or working: understand what is happening now so you can deal with it and move on.

It’s tough, of course, to keep a long range view and a short term focus. But you can find a way. When I got Lasik to correct my vision a few years ago my eyes were a little weird to begin with, so they gave me long range vision in one eye and close up vision in the other. My brain manages to reconcile the two. Your brain probably will too.

(and no, I am not just saying all this because I ran yesterday’s Gold Coast Marathon in Australia)