What  Running  My  First  Half-­‐

MarathonTaught  Me  About  Business

If  you  had  told  me  five  years  ago  that  I  would  have  any  desire  to  run  around  the  block  -­‐ let  alone  a  half-­‐marathon!    -­‐ I  would  have  said  

you  were  completely  nuts.

While  I  liked  working  out,  I  didn’t  like  running.  I  had  old  injuries  that  would  flare  up,  but  mostly  I  was  terribly  fearful  to  try  something  

that  I  wasn’t  sure  I  could  accomplish.  I’m  a  perfectionist,  so  if  I  can’t  do  something  perfectly,  my  brain  tells  me  I  probably  shouldn’t  try  at  

all.

After  discovering  a  love  for  Barry’s  Boot  Camp,  where  short  treadmill  intervals  made  running  less  overwhelming,  I  

eventually  felt  strong  enough  to  give  outdoor  running  a  try.    At  first  it  truly  seemed  impossible,  but  after  some  persistence  I  got  the  hang  of  it,  and  even  started  to  like  it.  I  began  participating  in  5k  and  10k  races,  and  eventually  decided  that  I  wanted  to  try  a  

half-­‐marathon.  

In  training  to  run  a  13+  mile  race,  I  discovered  more  about  myself  then  I  ever  even  intended  to,  including  four  valuable  lessons  I  have  carried  over  

into  my  professional  life.  

Here  they  are:

Raise  your  eye  level  

Distance  running  is  more  mental  then  physical.  Often  times  your  brain  wants  to  take  over,  convincing  you  to  walk  or  give  up  altogether.    I  found  a  very  effective  tactic  to  combat  this  is  to  simply  raise  my  eye  level  

from  the  ground  to  the  horizon.  By  taking  myself  out  of  the  nitty-­‐gritty  of  the  moment  and  seeing  the  bigger  picture,  my  entire  psyche  shifts.  All  of  a  sudden,  I  see  things  differently  – it’s  a  beautiful  day,  there  are  trees  and  nature,  I’m  running  alongside  other  like-­‐minded  people,  I’m  blessed  to  have  two  legs  on  which  to  run,  

etc.  

The  same  tactic  works  in  my  professional  life.  Sometimes  getting  caught  in  the  minutia  of  the  

moment  can  be  paralyzing.  Raising  your  eye  level  to  see  the  bigger  picture  can  reframe  the  situation  and  help  to  

scale  your  actions  accordingly.

Preparation  is  90%  of  the  game

Whether  in  running  or  in  business,  preparation  is  the  key.  My  biggest  accomplishment  in  completing  my  race  was  that  I  felt  truly  

prepared.  I  had  followed  a  training  regimen,  researched  and  acquired  the  necessary  

support  gear,  followed  a  targeted  nutrition  plan,  etc.  The  same  goes  for  business,  where  the  key  to  success  is  PLANNING.  Achieving  a  professional  goal  -­‐ whether  it’s  completing  a  client  project  or  moving  up  the  corporate  ladder  – takes  thoughtful  preparation,  

including  building  out  a  manageable  timeline  with  deadlines  and  deliverables.  

Encouraging  others  helps  bolsters  my  own  motivation

I’ll  admit  it…  I’m  an  unsolicited  high-­‐five  giver.  Yup,  I’m  that  girl  on  the  race  course  high-­‐fiving  strangers  on  the  sidelines,  and  yelling  words  of  encouragement  to  my  fellow  racers  who  may  be  struggling.  Why?  Because  by  sharing  the  enthusiasm  of  the  

moment,  I  boost  my  own  morale.  

So  why  wouldn’t  the  same  carry  over  to  the  professional  realm?  

Enthusiasm  is  contagious,  so  be  the  office  cheerleader  and  you’ll  find  that  pretty  soon,  you’re  hyping  yourself  up  as  well.  For  example,  help  your  team  reframe  negative  feelings  about  a  client  (“she  is  so  difficult,  requesting  so  many  time-­‐consuming  research  projects!”)  into  opportunities  to  encourage  positivity  (“this  research  will  give  us  a  great  chance  to  learn  more  about  the  competitive  landscape,  and  with  all  the  hard  work  we  put  

in,  think  of  what  a  great  case  study  this  will  make!”).

There  is  no  better  feeling  then  completing  something  that  is  hard  to  do…

Being  complacent  is  easy.  Challenging  ourselves  is  hard  -­‐ but  being  brave  and  reaching  for  big  goals  reaps  life’s  biggest  

rewards.  

Each  day,  look  at  your  to-­‐do  list  and  identify  one  thing  that  seems  overwhelming.  Now  put  that  thing  at  the  top  of  the  

list  and  do  it  first.  This  is  called  “eating  the  frog  first,”  meaning  you  get  your  toughest  task  out  of  the  way,  and  

then  everything  else  seems  manageable  by  comparison.  By  accomplishing  the  most  challenging  task  first,  you  empower  yourself  and  diminish  that  all-­‐day,  underlying  feeling  of  

dread  that  comes  along  with  procrastination.  

As I learned,  whether  you’re  running  or  working…  the  journey  of  a  thousand  miles  begins  with  a  single  step.

ABOUT:

Jamie  Hess  is  a  lifestyle  publicist,  wellness  enthusiast,  and  one  half  of  the  husband-­‐

and-­‐wife  Instagram  duo  @NYCfitfam.  Shortly  after  her  husband  proposed  to  her  on  a  

treadmill  at  Barry’s  Boot  Camp,  the  couple  began  sharing  their  #fitspo  with  others  on  social  media,  

including  Jamie’s  pre-­‐natal  fitness  journey  leading  up  to  

the  birth  of  their  son.