When I was in my late thirties, I competed in the grueling half-ironman triathlon.

Swimming, running and cycling for 5 or 6 hours non-stop is not something you just go out and do. You must learn how to strategically put together all those different disciplines to compete in a journey that long, and how to prepare for the months leading up to it. While I didn’t hire a coach, I did follow a set program and was part of a group who all trained together and we stretched each other beyond our comfort zones day after day. I read lots of books and got lots of advice about how to train for longer triathlons.

Tip: You must learn how to do the things you’ve never done before if you want to be successful.

I’m sure you can imagine, the first time you run any triathlon, it’s quite a learning experience.

All the training in the world won’t prepare you for some things… like needing the toilet (when there is not one anywhere in sight) half way through a race and “hitting the wall” about 30 minutes from the end (yes, even with loads of training, this happens).

Thankfully my club mates, family and friends were always there to encourage me on through these tough kilometers…

What did I learn from all these experiences?

That no matter how much you plan and prepare, there will always be things in your environment that are out of your control. Sometimes once you’ve started something, you just have to push through to the end, even if the going gets tough. And, there is an enormous amount of self satisfaction when you achieve something, especially if you felt like giving up on it along the way.

When I first started to compete in triathlons, “swimming” meant bobbing up and down in the waves, the only “cycling I had done was as a child around the back garden and I only “ran” when I was late for a bus. Learning to perform and improve in all these three disciplines was certainly new territory but I’m the sort of person who has always enjoyed a good challenge!

I often think back to those days and realize how much of my triathlon training mentality I’ve brought into my business over the past 12 years.

Business really is like a triathlon.

To be successful in business, it really helps to:

• Decide on your big goal and stay focused (remind yourself of this when you hit the tough spots).
• Learn the strategies necessary to succeed from the people who have already achieved what you want to accomplish (instead of just “winging” it).
• Run your own race rather than compare yourself to others (Every experience is an opportunity to improve on your personal best).
• Be willing to do ‘whatever it takes’ (even if it’s outside your comfort zone).
• Surround yourself with books, training sessions, mentors or coaches to help you prepare (rather than wasting time trying to figure it all out on your own).
• Get the right equipment and support before you start (instead of just jumping in).
• Have a support crew to cheer you on (instead of doing it all alone).

Commitment equals success

Long term success takes commitment, preparation and dedication. It takes learning and application of new strategies, training, and yes, sometimes you have to fall over before you can get back up and finish the race.

Every triathlon training session you can see an improvement in your performance. In business you can see this improvement with each new marketing promotion, each new product or launch, with everything you do. After you’ve prepared, you learn by taking action. That’s why I encourage my cleints to learn as your earn and I continue to do the same.

There is no such thing as failure, only a result you’re not happy with. As long as you stay committed, and continue to apply what you learn to your next endeavour, you will experience success. The only reason this won’t happen is if you give up.

By the way… could I go out and finish a half-ironman triathlon today? – Absolutely not!

Even though fitness is important to me and I still work out or run everyday, I’m not focused on preparing and training for that kind of event. Competing in triathlons is not important to me right now, and the dedication it requires doesn’t suit my lifestyle these days. This is something to consider in your business too. Decide what you need to do to prepare and train for what you want right now. And, if what you want changes, don’t be afraid to respond to that appropriately. What you focus on is where you will see the greatest results. Understand that if you’re not focused, committed and dedicated; be reasonable about the results you can expect.

This past week we had a bit of a shake up when Murray was cycling home and was hit by a car. Fast forward…….and I’m sitting beside his bed in the hospital for hours while x-rays, testing and observations are constantly being done.  The longer I’m there the more the nursing staff are wondering how it’s possible for me not to be at all concerned with missing ‘work’.

For a short time, the flexibility of self employment will usually mean we can be there for our friends or family in a time of crisis or need.  What happens beyond the ‘short term’? I have friends who have just spent the last month sitting beside their son’s hospital bed. He’s in a coma after a serious car accident. To be away from their work for a short time has been okay, but the seriousness that this situation will extend into many months is starting to take its toll for them.

Do you have a business model that would mean you could be absent for extended periods of time and still receive on-going revenue during that period? In fact, some solopreneurs have their business model set up in such a way that even getting away for a few days or one week’s break can be difficult.

By a business model, I mean the activities that your business performs to generate revenue, and the relationships, information, and product flows you have with customers and suppliers.

While entrepreneurialism can be rewarding, the business model that is right for you will depend on your expertise, financial situation and goals. Each business is a little different. This is an area I just love working on with my VIP clients – making sure their business model is designed to give them lifestyle and financial security.

As long as your only income comes from you working with clients in person or being the first point of contact for your business, you  expose yourself, your business and your financial security to high risk of having it all crash down around you when you may need it most.

I can lift three principles from our own experience and those I see others involved in, all of which have to do with designing your ideal business model.

Leverage Your Knowledge:  Rather than relying on all your income to come from one-on-one work done in person, the sooner you can create your own information products, you’ll be able to have some passive on-going revenue once you have created a substantial community of prospects and clients.

Team: Include other people in your business vision and have regular meetings with them to monitor progress and make any changes that may be necessary.  Hiring an assistant who manages your calls, calendar and customer service will remove you from much of the daily activities to allow more freedom. Projects can be managed in software systems such as Basecamp.com means everyone involved in a project will always know where it is up to and who is responsible for what.

Systems: Have systems for everything!  Systems will take the guess work out of customer service, refunds, client enrolment, marketing and more.  By having a systematized way to marketing your business means that much of this can be put on ‘auto-pilot’.  Regular marketing will avoid you experiencing periods of ‘feast or famine’ that is so evident in businesses that only do spasmodic marketing efforts.  If you have your own personal ‘crisis’, it’s comforting to know that there is still a constant flow of new clients and that systems you have in place will ensure they continue to receive high value service.

Being an entrepreneur, and self-employed, is no easy task – but it sure does have its rewards. It gives a tremendous sense of freedom – and if you want to take off for holidays or you have your own personal ‘crisis’ – just be certain you have all the systems and processes in place to support you and that will help to create on-going revenue during that period.

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