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Though it may not
seem like it when we're
drenched in sweat and
our legs feel like lead,
marathon running is as
mental as physical. When
we're exhausted,
continuing consists of
mind over matter. This
takes enormous mental
power. Once developed,
this skill can be
transferred from the
racetrack to the
boardroom.
Training for a
marathon is an ideal
place to improve the
skills needed to achieve
success in business:
strategy, clear
objectives, and a
positive attitude. These
techniques are also
crucial to completing a
marathon. Without them,
even the most
fanatically fit athlete
is doomed to fail.
Through physical
training we can develop
and master these skills.
In business,
investment and marathon,
a well-planned strategy
is essential. In each
situation, we must
commit to our plan, yet
be willing to adapt it
if it isn't working.
Though strategy can be
complex or simple, with
our first marathon it's
best to choose the
latter. Simplification
is a great way to remove
self-imposed pressure.
This can mean
concentrating on
maintaining a steady
heart rate or pace. We
need to do this during
both training and our
marathon, since
sustaining this
relaxed-focus helps
remove the barrier of
performance anxiety.
The strategy of
shifting attention to
our body's sensations is
called association, and
it's a tactic used by
many elite athletes. The
self-focused introvert
may find this more
comfortable than
directing attention
outside. The outgoing
extrovert, however, may
be more suited to the
disassociation
technique. This involves
turning our awareness
outward. According to a
report published in The
Journal of Sports
Psychology: "
Considerable evidence
exists to link
disassociation
strategies with
increased pain tolerance
during endurance tasks."
Disassociation may also
useful during a dull
seminar, or an extended
visit from our
mother-in-law.
Just as business
meetings have
objectives, so should
your marathon training.
Whatever your personal
goal, it needs to be
specific, measurable,
and reasonable. Similar
to our professional
life, these can be
accomplished by choosing
to focus on either the
process or the outcome.
In our business life a
process goal would be
improving our customer
relation skills, while
an outcome goal would be
making X amount more
dollars. For your first
marathon, process goals
are better. Since
meeting them may be as
simple as adhering to
our training schedule,
they guarantee success.
As we all know, success
produces
self-confidence.
Developing this gives us
courage to challenge
ourselves to achieve
greater victories.
Outcome goals, like
beating a rival, are
more risky. Since
external factors can
interfere with them,
they are harder to
succeed at.
Maintaining a
positive attitude is
crucial to
accomplishment. Without
belief in eventual
success, we'll quit at
the slightest obstacle.
This is true both in
career and running.
Everyday, marathon
training teaches us
persistence through
discomfort. This is
essential. Without
challenging ourselves we
can never progress to
higher success. Besides
the things we tell
ourselves, a positive
attitude also includes
motivating inner images.
Many superior
athletes use mental
imagery, or guided
visualization. These
include Marion Clignet,
1996 and 2000 silver
medallist on the French
cycling team, and 6
times Masters winner
Jack Nicklaus. Medical
experts have also tested
this method. A recent
article published in the
Journal of Sports
Science states: "The
power of mental imagery
in sport performance has
been widely noted. Keep
your thinking and mental
rehearsing of your
upcoming races positive
and it may contribute to
new personal records."
The importance of
mental imagery is also
noted in Olympic runner
Jeff Galloway's
Marathon: You Can Do It.
In this book, Galloway
encourages us to
rehearse parts of our
marathon every day. He
says that this will help
us prepare for and find
solutions to problems we
may encounter and help
us "tough it out." This
strength doesn't end in
out legs and lungs.
Finishing a marathon
makes us more tenacious,
helping us bring home
"the gold" in business.
Galina Pembroke is an
internationally
published writer. She is
also the publisher and
editor of New View
Magazine online. New
View gives you unique
articles on health,
self-help, animal
rights, spirituality and
more. Visit us at
http://www.nuvunow.ca. |
