Yesterday I "officially" started training for Ironman Lake Placid next July. Yes, Ironman training is generally a year-round commitment but this week I took that very important first step in my training. And no, I don't have a formal plan in mind right now, I didn't designate a 'kick-off" day or have a specific work-out in mind. Mentally I started preparing myself for the long process - thinking about the discipline and hard work that needs to happen, the sacrifices I will need to make and how I will manage myself through the coming months. I start with the end in mind - visualizing how I will feel approaching race day, acknowledging everyone who will have supported me along the way, AND, most importantly, how I will feel when I cross the finish line.
Of course I have a general plan for how I am going to get there...but I also understand the importance of setting reasonable expectations, of understanding the importance of being flexible and adapting to circumstances that surely will throw me off my game over the long haul, and of practicing patience and forgiveness when I miss an interim goal. Stuff happens, right? So you need to have the right mindset to keep moving towards your goal regardless of what life throws your way.
In your professional life - whether you are starting a new job, launching a major program in your organization or kicking off a long-term project, check to see that you are approaching your challenges with an athlete's mentality. Think about the long-term goal: What is the result or outcome you are seeking? What will your job, the program or project you are leading look like? What do you want people to think about their work and your leadership? And how will you have changed and feel at the end?
Then work backward from there - but remember to think of your project in manageable pieces, be prepared to adapt to changes and circumstance beyond your control; be patience, persevere and, most importantly, be kind to yourself.
Champions start at the end to frame their performance. As a leader, you can use this same approach in dealing with the challenges you face to be a winner in the workplace.
