Why Every Entrepreneur Should Train Like an Endurance Athlete

When I look at successful entrepreneurs who've been at it for decades, I notice something that separates them from the ones who burn bright and then fade away. It's not intelligence, connections, or even luck—though those all matter—but their approach to the journey itself.

Building a business that creates lasting value is fundamentally an endurance sport. I learned this the hard way through my mom's skateboard shop and through working with hundreds of business owners over the years. The ones who create significant exits don't sprint toward a quick sale. 

They methodically build something with staying power.

Pacing Matters

I remember working with a dot com founder who was proud of his "always on" approach. He'd work 75 hour weeks, sleep four hours a night, and expect the same from his team. Six months in, his creativity had tanked, turnover was sky high, and the business was making costly mistakes.

The business owners I've seen create the most value understand something critical: energy management beats time management. They recognize when they're in a season requiring intensity but also build in deliberate recovery periods. They can sustain their effort for years because they pace themselves.

Mental Toughness Wins Races

Every significant business I've worked with has faced what I call "the valley" when momentum stalls, problems multiply, and the initial excitement disappears. This is where mental toughness becomes everything.

The best entrepreneurs develop the ability to face reality without losing faith. They can look at disappointing numbers, acknowledge them clearly, and still maintain belief in their overall direction. They don't ignore problems or make excuses but don't let temporary setbacks define their journey.

Recovery is Part of Growth

One business owner I admire built a $40 million company while taking every Friday off. He used those days to think, recharge, and maintain perspective. His competitors thought he was crazy, but his clarity and consistency helped him outperform them in the long run.

Strategic recovery isn't a luxury.  It allows you to make good decisions year after year. The value acceleration process itself requires this balance. We push hard to implement changes that drive business value, then step back to measure results before the next push.

Business owners who successfully exit on their own terms approach entrepreneurship as an endurance event. They build sustainable systems, develop personal resilience, and keep a steady pace toward their destination.

What's your approach to the entrepreneurial marathon? Are you building something that can go the distance?