Parallels between marathon training and building a career
Training for the NYC Marathon reshaped the way I approach leadership, personal growth, and long-term professional performance. It taught lessons that cannot be fully absorbed in any classroom or conference panel—real-life lessons in a highly practical case about resilience, structure, pacing, and long-term sustainability. While most people will never run a marathon, the principles behind this kind of endurance are broadly applicable to how we build careers with depth, purpose, and endurance.
Here are five of the most valuable takeaways where parallels can be found:
Training isn't linear. Some runs feel effortless; others feel like setbacks. Progress is often invisible in the moment, but over time, it compounds. What matters isn't a single session, but the sum of consistent effort over 15 weeks—or 15 years.
Careers follow a similar rhythm. Promotions, recognition, or creative breakthroughs don't always arrive in sync with effort. You can put in months of work before anything outwardly changes, possibly even years. You may even encounter setbacks like an injury or a layoff. The delay between effort and reward can be discouraging—even when you know it's part of the process.
Marathon Parallel: Improvement happens in the background—even when a run feels unremarkable and meaningless. Career Parallel: The work you're doing today may not pay off immediately, but it compounds over time. Takeaway: Like it or not, trusting the process is part of mastering it. Stick to your plan.
2. MENTAL ENDURANCE OUTWEIGHS NATURAL TALENT
By the midpoint of any long-distance run, the physical challenge becomes mental, especially when you have properly prepped. Training your mind to override discomfort, stay focused, and push through doubt is often what separates finishers from those who burn out early.
The same holds true in your career. Technical skills might get you hired, but it's emotional resilience, mindset, and adaptability that help you advance. Long-term success depends far more on your ability to 'stay the course' than on raw talent alone.
Marathon Parallel: Grit and discipline carry you through the second half of the race. Career Parallel: Staying calm, focused, collected, and flexible is often more valuable than raw skill. Takeaway: Build mental stamina through repeatable daily habits. Discipline will always beat motivation. From Aristotle to Eliud Kipchoge, high performers across decades have echoed the same principle: discipline outweighs motivation. Discipline equals freedom. Don't be beholden to your 'moods' and motivation.
3. RECOVERY IS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Rest days are non-negotiable for runners. Without adequate recovery, performance declines and injury risk increases. Recovery isn't a break from training—it's part of the training strategy.
Professionally, the same logic applies. Constant hustle leads to burnout. High performers learn how to integrate recovery into their routines, whether through boundaries, intentional downtime, or structured breaks that allow for mental recalibration. It's not indulgent—it's essential. It may sound familiar, but once applied, this approach transforms how you feel, and moreover, how you perform. However, once you formally apply this approach, you will not only see but rather feel the difference. From there, it is hard to go back to any other method.
Marathon Parallel: Planned rest in your plan prevents injury and enables performance to be at peak. Career Parallel: Building in recovery allows you to sustain output, clarity, and energy. Takeaway: Sustainable performance beats constant hustle every time. Hustle culture is over-glamorized. Surely, you have never seen an executive of a Fortune 500 company appearing stressed, rushed, or disorganized.
Distance running might seem like a solo endeavor, but community plays a crucial role. Training partners, cheering sections, and accountability networks help carry you through the most difficult parts of the course.
In your career, support systems matter just as much. Mentors, colleagues, and advocates help you grow faster, avoid blind spots, and remain motivated. No matter how independent you are, nobody advances alone. If anything, this parallel feels like strongest of them all.
Marathon Parallel: The crowd may not run with you, but they help you keep going. (There's nothing like the sound of the notorious roar of 1st Ave each November in New York City.) Career Parallel: The right people create the conditions for long-term professional success and become your biggest allies. Takeaway: Invest as intentionally in your support network as you do in your skill set, index funds, and other assets. Be sure to nurture those relationships and not just build them.
5. SUCCESS REQUIRES A PERSONAL DEFINITION
Not every marathoner is racing for a podium finish. For some, it's about a personal best. For others, it's about crossing the finish line—period. The key is clarity around what success looks like and aligning your effort accordingly. For most of the marathon population, 'winning' is not the goal.
Careers are no different. If your definition of success is borrowed from someone else, you'll constantly feel off pace. The most fulfilled professionals I know have defined their own metrics, whether that's leadership influence, creative autonomy, impact, or balance.
Marathon Parallel: Every runner has their own goal, even on the same course hitting the same finish. Career Parallel: Your professional path should reflect your values, not someone else's expectations. Takeaway: Are you chasing your own definition of success? Especially as many grow families, pivot careers, care for elderly loved ones, and more, what looks like success to you may look vastly different from another.
ENDURANCE IS A PROFESSIONAL SKILL
Finishing the marathon didn't just mark the end of a training cycle—it marked the beginning of a deeper understanding of limits and how to approach challenges.
In a work culture that prioritizes acceleration, and again, the hustle mentality, these lessons matter more than ever. So, whether or not you ever run 26.2 miles, consider this final thought: Identify the long-term challenge you're training for, and be sure to build the endurance to meet it with confidence.
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