Last week, on the Fourth of July, I ran the Firecracker 5K in Excelsior, MN. The combination of the course, the people, and the day’s festivities make this a summer favorite. A couple of miles into the race though, I was reminded of the power of preparation.
Here’s what I ended up pondering during my run: How does preparation impact my performance?
At about Mile 2, my legs started to get tired. It was a warm July morning, mildly humid, heating up, and my body felt it. To be completely transparent, the last time I had run 3.2 miles was in the fall at another 5K in Minneapolis. Between then and now, my running schedule was erratic. Frankly, I love the idea of running, and I know how good it feels when I’m done, but I also have a case of the “too’s.” I am too busy, too tired, too sore. It’s too hot, too rainy, too windy.
As I ran the final mile, I pondered my preparation for this race, and how I prepare myself professionally. Being fully prepared to perform at a high level requires three things:
Clarity: First and foremost, you have to know why you want to perform in the first place. Unless your purpose is well defined and strong, you will always be subject to distractions, obstacles, and excuses. You’ll always be able to say “I’m too…” Clarity helps remove that phrase from your vocabulary. Where do you need to get clear on your purpose and goals to mute those voices?
Tenacity: The other thing you need to fight the “I’m too…” mindset is some tenacity. You need to decide that no matter what, you’re going to put in the work to prepare. You’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure you’re prepared when your opportunity shows up. Where do you need to be more tenacious?
Consistency: The last thing preparation requires is consistency. Take my run for instance. If I consistently ran 3 miles a day, 3-4 days a week, then that 5K would have been easy and comfortable. Instead, my inconsistency is what killed me out there on the race course. The same goes for us professionally. How are you consistently working to develop yourself and grow?
The Takeaway
Get clear, get tenacious, get consistent – preparation is a key to high-performance.
