Don’t worry. Hell hasn’t frozen over. I haven’t turned into a sports fanatic. However, this evening I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games at The Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – where the 2012 Olympics took place. Usain Bolt was one of the star attractions tonight and he was joined by British Olympic champions Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill who featured amongst a host of other global superstars.
I have had my ‘sporting moments’ but not anything like on a par with these guys. In my youth, I played in goal in hockey at school, was pretty bad at netball and I hated cross country. Why, when you have open heath land behind a school, would you make children run on said heath land? I would have done anything not to do cross country.
In competitive athletics, the back straight is often where the professionals make a move – they try to step up a gear and get away from the rest. Some succeed, whereas some are caught napping and find themselves needing to catch up some time/distance. This is also true in business.
Are you on a winning streak in your business? Are you ahead of the pack with time on your hands? What makes you stand out from the crowd? Is it better training, or your strength to pull away from the pack when it matters?
When you are on the back straight, generally the contract isn’t definitely yours. The sales conversation is well underway but that final bend (hurdle) is crucial. Why should your potential client choose you? Should you be crowned the winner on the home straight? How will you ensure that you are the only one left standing at the finish line?
Business can often seem like a race and in Heir Hunting, in particular, this is frequently the case. It’s not all about the sprints to the finish though. Some of the races are much longer distances and require a game plan. Marathon runners will take several hours to complete the course. Does it make their journey any less valuable when they reach the line? Of course not. So, are you at the start line, on the back straight or in the middle of a marathon with your business right now? Maybe you could try to take some time to reflect this weekend before the next working week begins….
Source image: Oxford City Athletic Club
