“People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming
they'll go to any length to live longer. But don't think that's the reason most
people run. Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because
they want to live life to the fullest. If you're going to while away the years,
it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog,
and I believe running helps you to do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest
within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor
for life — and for me, for writing as whole. I believe many runners would
agree”
― HarukiMurakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
I practiced what I
preached in my previous blog. I spent Christmas staring at customer databases,
and only survived by running. At least twice per week.
The best run I had
was an hour and 45 minutes long around the hills of North Dorset, in the Sun,
on the snow. Fantastic: out there on your own, in the dead sound of winter. Like Murakami, I find running clarifies goals for me. Clear
goals will definitely help you as you set up your marketing strategy.
Running is also a goal in itself, and supremely clear goal. Sometimes work and business can seem awfully muddy and out of control,
especially in a recession. So give yourself something you can control,
completely control, minute by minute: a running plan.
Plan something like
three runs in one week. Make sure you do them, don’t let anything get in your
way. Whatever happens at work or in your business, at the end of the week
there’s something you can hold up to yourself as having turned out as you
planned it.
I like to take a
couple of other things from running too.
Firstly, running brings out the
cave man in me. When I’m on my own in some silent shadowy wood, 45 minutes
from home, I can really get into hunter gatherer mode. I can imagine that I’ve
been stalking something for hours and that I better kill it and get it
home, because that’s the only food there is for my family in the middle of winter.
At the end of the day isn’t that what running
a business is about? Peel back the IT issues, balancing your books,
dealing with Health and Safety, manipulating databases or restocking the
stationery cupboard. That’s NOT what business is about. Business is about putting food on the table.
Secondly there is a technique to running effectively, and the
technique is different depending on what you’re trying to achieve. Many think
that running is putting a foot in front of the other quickly, and most runners
out there probably never thought to explore their technique. But if you want to
run well, then learn how.
Rip up what you think running is and follow this
link: POSE. Then start looking up other
coaches’ tips on running and it won’t be long before you’re overwhelmed with
technique choices and decisions. Check out Born to Run too.
Running your business is the same. Most people can carry out every part of a business averagely well. But a top business makes sure its people can excel at their functions. And if
you can’t get the best people or the best techniques under your roof, try
hiring them from outside.
If it’s digital and online marketing you want to excel
at then try eezap.com. (You knew it was going to end with a plug right?)
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