See How Far We’ve Come

70.3 is the total distance in miles covered in a grueling, one-half Ironman consisting of 1.2 miles of swimming, 56 miles of biking and 13.1 miles of running.

If you think that sounds like a lot of work, you’d be right.

Depending on the size of a pool, you’d have to swim 45 laps in cold water without ever stopping, touching the bottom, or reaching the side to achieve equal mileage. And you still wouldn’t be done! Next, you’d have to hop on a bike and cycle the entire length of the Las Vegas Strip 14 times, before tacking on a little ‘ol half marathon at the end.

It’s certainly not something you wake up to on Monday, and decide to undertake Tuesday. It takes months of training, preparation and mental and physical discipline. Every day you give it your all, building up body and mind a little bit each week.

No one knows how this struggle unfolds better than one my colleagues – JD Melton. For nearly six months, we followed JD’s progress as he trained with every fiber of his being. On Week 1 he didn’t own a bike; by Week 20 of his program, he was riding more than 51 miles per week. In Week 1 he ran 3 miles each time he laced up his shoes; by Week 10 we were flabbergasted to learn he was running 13 miles each outing.

When Race Day came, JD knew he was as ready as he was ever going to be, but that he still probably wasn’t ready enough. It was his first, actual, open water swim; with no wetsuit to promote buoyancy, he floundered a bit. And then – the day was so hot, his legs cramped during the bike ride. But JD kept going… And 10hrs and 26min later, he finished.

Thankfully, we all don’t have to go through JD’s rigorous preparation schedule to learn from his experience. Whether it’s completing a triathlon, losing 30 pounds, writing a book or working towards important goals – we can rely on this example to remind us that big achievements aren’t won overnight. 

It takes a plan. 

The accomplishment of smaller, more measurable objectives allows us to make incrementally great progress over time.

With this example in mind, our team is spending 2017, operating through a series of 90-day action plans. It’s been exciting to see how such a measured approach is allowing us to develop greater clarity, gain more control and exert more effective oversight in meeting our objectives. 

By undertaking a series of distinct projects over 12-week periods, we’re able to make substantive progress. Our teams are expending greater bursts of energy for shorter periods, focusing with precision, while simultaneously reducing burnout among team members.

Let’s face it. Life isn’t slowing down. In fact, it’s speeding up. A quarter of the year is already gone. Summer is coming. The newness of the year is rubbing off. Perhaps a way to keep you and your team focused and not completely overwhelmed with all there is to be accomplished is to break your big goals down into small, more actionable steps. 

It’s a different way of working, but I’ve been so impressed with our successes, I highly recommend giving it a try. 

• How much can you achieve in three months? 
• Can you break-up the activities needed to achieve long-term goals, into a series of manageable projects?
• When can you focus on one thing at a time, thereby ensuring your team gives important priorities total attention? 

Sure, we may all sink a little bit when we hit the water. Or our brains might cramp up after tempers flare a little hot …but just imagine if you and your team makes small progress each day, how far along you can come in a short amount of time. 

Our personal and professional lives are long journeys filled with unexpected surprises. It’s when we stop to think about where we were 90 days ago, that we truly see we’ve only just begun training for our own – lifetime – triathlons.