Ten years ago this month I decided to take up running and run my first marathon, and two years later I set a goal of completing The Marathon Grand Slam (a marathon on all seven continents and at the North Pole). I achieved that goal in 2016, and along the way learned plenty of lessons that helped me reach the Finish Line. Those lessons from running have helped in the rest of my life, as I’ve navigated career changes and moved to new countries. As 2018 begins and people return to work with goals and New Year’s resolutions, I wanted to share five of the most useful lessons that can help you be successful in your personal and professional life.
SET SPECIFIC GOALS
When I began running I set a very specific goal: I will run a marathon in October. If I had set something vague, like “I will be in better shape,” there would be no way of knowing when I hit that goal, nor could I measure my progress. Similarly, when I set my Grand Slam goal, I knew what continents I needed to run on, and I also set a deadline to help me plan for these events all around the world. A specific goal helps you focus.
As you look ahead to 2018, what, specifically, do you want to be different by the end of the year? Do you want a promotion? A new job? A 4.0 GPA? Dropping 5 kilos? Completing a triathlon? Playing a piano recital? Whatever goals you set, make sure you actually know what they are. If they are too vague, not only will you never know when you’ve reached them, you also won’t be able to measure your progress, and that makes it more likely you will get discouraged and give up. Don’t just say “I want to be better” – instead, define what you mean by “better.”
CREATE A DEGREE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
The best advice I ever got was from the friend who not only said “sign up for a marathon next year…” but who then went on to say”…and tell everyone you’re going to do it.” By sharing my goal with my friends, there was no way I would give up because then I would look bad, and nobody wants that.
As you set your goals for 2018, share them with the people who matter to you. Whether they are personal or professional goals, you should talk about them with your friends and family. You might even encourage them to ask you about them over the year, just so you know someone’s always watching. A friend of mine who is a PhD student is concerned he’s too focused on course work and is not reading enough of the current research in his field; per his request, I have an iPhone reminder that pops up every Thursday and says “Ask Ryan about papers.” Find people whom you don’t want to disappoint, and then don’t disappoint them.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL
During the North Pole Marathon, the last race in my Grand Slam, a crack in the ice occurred that wrecked our runway and left us stranded for 4 days while a new one was constructed. I tried very hard not to stress about it, because there was nothing I could do to fix it. What I could do, though, was put on my racing gear and run, so I could start getting used to running in those temperatures and with that clothing, something that had been tough to do at my home in Bangkok.
No matter how Type-A your personality is, there will always be things outside your control. Why waste your time worrying about them? As you pursue your goals, and obstacles arise, ask yourself if you can do anything about them. If you can fix them, then fix them. If you can’t fix them, then can you minimize their effect, or find a way to turn them to your advantage? Time spent worrying is time wasted; focus on either finding solutions or alternatives, and if none are available, then just roll with it as best you can.
PACE YOURSELF
On a couple occasions early on, I trained for races during the winter at home in Washington DC, then flew to Asia and ran in the heat…and found myself in a medical tent after finishing. You have to understand your surroundings and listen to your body, going only as fast as you are able. When you are literally running a marathon, the phrase “it’s a marathon, not a sprint” takes on a special meaning.
The concept of pacing yourself is just as relevant no matter what goal you are pursuing. If you’ve given yourself a year to achieve something, don’t try to force it by the end of February. Long-term goals are called “long-term” for a reason, so don’t try to accomplish everything right away, or you run the risk of burning out. Give yourself some time, and don’t try to change everything at once. Also remember that changes you make in your life may affect others, so give them a chance to get used to things, too.
COLLABORATION TAKES YOU FARTHER
Though marathon running is often viewed as an individual sport, I’ve enjoyed it more because of the people I’ve met along the way. Whether it’s my Antarctic, North Pole, or Abbott World Marathon Majors mates whom I still meet up with at races around the world, or the friends in Singapore’s New Balance Run Club who have challenged me to run faster, my individual success is greater because of my collaboration with other people.
So, don’t be afraid to reach out to others for help, or to see if you can combine your talents with theirs to help you achieve your goals. No matter how smart or talented you are, there are plenty of other smart and talented people out there from whom you can learn or whose examples you can follow. Having a support network around you can help you move forward, and sometimes the things you do to help others will let you learn what you need to help yourself. You don’t need to always be with a group, but you shouldn’t always be alone, either.
These are things that have worked for me, and they’ve helped me lead a very interesting and rewarding life. I have some goals for 2018, both personal and professional, and I’ll be using these lessons to help me achieve them. What about you? I hope you’ll offer some of your own useful lessons in the comments below, and feel free to share this with your network, too.
I often give talks on my Grand Slam experience and the lessons I learned; contact us if you might be interested in having me speak at your company. And of course, all of this gets the full treatment in my book, CROSS THE LINES, available on Amazon and Book Depository.