At many points in our lives, we face challenges, obstacles or even opportunities that, at the time, seem insurmountable. As children, we must learn to walk; we sway, wobble and tumble until we do. As young adults, academic exams like the SAT and athletic challenges on the field or in the gym intertwine with the sometimes painful lessons that adolescence brings. As adults, more of the same...different scenarios, yet obstacles just the same. Most of us overcome them, and are better for it, perhaps unaware of their collective, profound effect.

 Looking back, I realize there has never been any situation, hard as it may have seemed, that did not make me a better person, relative, friend, student, employee or coach. And I realized almost every situation, if we are after excellence, is best approached not as a sprint but as a marathon. Our training will be full of adventures, both exhilarating and scary, but good for us all the same.

This is especially true in the business world, where we are challenged from the beginning of our lives as professionals. Even though we may begin our careers with a sense of entitlement, cockiness and overconfidence, we soon find out, and sometimes painfully so, that we must accept that perhaps one of the most important factors in personal success is the willingness to manifest the desire, discipline and determination to do common things uncommonly well. And we must do it with a steady pace that allows us to go the distance.

I just completed my first marathon. It was a very strange and powerful decision for me. Lance Armstrong I am not. But I do enjoy a good challenge, especially something that is ultimately and undeniably good for me. My six-month journey prior to the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., October 29, 2006, was full of metaphors relating to success in business. Here are some of the lessons I learned:

1. Make a decision. I decided in April to start training. Lots of people doubted me. That helped me know I had made the right decision. Make a decision to be successful and ignore the doubters.

2. Follow directions. Throughout my training, I was blessed to be coached by many wonderful volunteers who cared about me and my success. I sat at their feet, and I listened, and I did exactly what they told me. Swallow your pride. Be coachable, teachable and impressionable.

3. Stay at it. I missed only one of 56 scheduled training runs. I ran more than 400 miles before the marathon. Practice does not make perfect, only perfect practice makes perfect. Stay disciplined, day in and day out. Study, practice, role play and work when the others are sleeping.

4. Set a goal for excellence and pursue it with humility. My goal was to finish the marathon, not to break any speed records. I did not endeavor to boast, only to share in the satisfaction of the journey. I equated finishing with excellence, and I kept my eye on that prize. Don't show off. It turns people off. I give you the loudmouth of Terrell Owens vs. the class of Tiki Barber. You decide.

5. Serve others. The marathon taught me I could be successful while serving a greater cause. I raised a lot of money to help people with AIDS. I never forgot that this was the primary objective. It, too, kept me humble.

Your definitions of success may indeed be different, but the fundamentals of getting there seem to be the same. The question is: Do we sprint or run steady?  V

By Dan Cole
January/February 2007