Epiphany: Train to Get Better

Yesterday I stumbled upon an article from the Harvard Business Review by Heidi Grant Halvorson titled, "Nine Things Successful People Do Differently."

I left it open on my desktop last night and re-read it this morning. I'm a fast reader, and am often multi-tasking, so I am very glad I did. Because when I read it last night, I simply looked at it with a personal lens. When I re-read it this morning, post-run, I looked at it through the lens of my own fitness and training goals, and I had some more clarity. And as I was working on some notes for a project I am working on, I had even more clarity.

It's short. It's concise. It's to the point. Read it.

The nine guidelines for being successful apply to any area you want to improve upon. And it occurred to me, it's how I work. These are, for the most part, the best practice methodologies I apply when I am creating a marketing plan, lead generation campaign, or making PR recommendations. Can I do them more consistently? Will this demonstrate real improvements?

I know it will.

Why? Well, it's an easy correlation for me. In the article, she mentions that the difference between successful and non-successful people is the belief that they can get to where they need/want to be. Two years ago, I felt like an average person fitness wise. I liked yoga, pilates and walking. I couldn't run a mile, or bike more than 3.

I began with small goals that seemed hefty but attainable with hard work. I quickly eclipsed those. Today, I have completed sprint, olympic and half ironman distance triathlons, century bike rides,and half marathons. There's more I want to do, and I know I can do anything if I train for it. I am constantly surprised and amazed by what I can do if I train for it. I don't see myself as successful- until I look at where I was.

Why does this relate to marketing? Well, sometimes we get lost in trying to obtain the HUGE goal. I see companies trying to finish the marathon before they've even tried a 10K. It's good to have lofty goals- but it's better to take it in steps, make improvements, train, and be prepared.

 Run the 10K. Get your message right. Have the answers. Know your customers' bleeding points. Get it right, because it's easy to do more when you know what you can do and that you know how to do it.

We live now in an age where we expect instant gratification. I have found that it is the hard work, the waiting for the pay-offs, the small victories, the learning from mistakes and the constant willingness to keep pushing to be better has made me successful in sports, and in my work. Or maybe it just makes it more rewarding.

Mistress' Marketing Mantra 
(loosely based on the HBR suggestions)

• Set specific achievable goals. 
• Take specific action. 
• Measure that action, make corrections.
• Have faith in your ideas.
• Make things better.always.
• Don't be such a perfectionist you don't take action.
• Be tenacious. 
• Do the hard work. 
• Be focused.
• Make improvements, not excuses.