Business Growth Lessons From Half-Ironman Training

Building a business and training for an endurance race look totally different on the surface, but dig deeper, and you'll find the mindset needed for both is almost identical.

Neither happens overnight.

Both need long-term commitment, a plan, staying power, and a willingness to push through when things get tough.

The first big lesson in endurance training is all about pacing (aka running your own race). A sprint mentality fails in a race that lasts all day, just like in business. I've watched entrepreneurs go full throttle without thinking about staying power, and they crash and burn before hitting their goals.

Structure and routines matter too.

Endurance athletes don't just train whenever they feel like it.

They follow a plan, build things up step by step, and track their progress.

I learned this the hard way in business. The first eight years I was winging it without a real strategy, getting stuck and overwhelmed more than I care to admit.

I have alos learned that being able to adapt is crucial. No endurance race ever goes exactly as planned. Weather shifts, equipment problems, or injuries force athletes to adjust on the road. Business owners face similar challenges with changing markets, economic downturns, or new competitors. The ability to pivot while keeping your eye on the mission separates winners from losers and those who never played the game..

Both business and endurance racing demand mental fortitude…lots of it. The hardest part is pressing forward when everything feels impossible or flat-out overwhelming. The ones who succeed are the ones who trust the process, keep showing up daily, and understand that winning isn't always about speed but about staying in the game.

I've completed one half-Ironman, five marathons, and a handful of half-marathons.

I've also built six successful businesses.

The biggest lesson I've learned throughout it all?

Success in both comes down to the same thing: showing up consistently, following your plan, and having the gumption to keep going when most people would throw in the towel.

Everything awesome I've done in life has been because I've been accountable to another human. But endurance sports taught me to be accountable to myself first.

Whether crossing a finish line or hitting a business goal, the principles that get you there are nearly identical.