A few weeks ago I progressed from a weekend warrior, self-trained power walker to hiring a coach to train me for the Eugene Marathon in May, 2015. I hired my coach because I want to minimize my chances of injury and increase my likelihood for success.
I’m no stranger to coaches, having hired several over the years to guide me in my business. Years ago I learned how valuable the right mentor can be in achieving more with their strategies, knowledge and expertise and minimizing my learning curve than I would do on my own.
A great coach encourages you to get outside of your comfort zone, pushes when needed and identifies strategies that can be game changers.
In order to grow we have to do things differently and doing things differently can definitely be uncomfortable. It is in the discomfort we find out what we are truly made of.
Knowing how valuable business coaches have been to the success of my business, I knew a marathon coach would teach me, push me, encourage me and inspire me. In the short time I have been working with my coach I have already progressed more than I had been on my own. Not only am I hitting my stride in my daily trainings, I’m increasing my speed, endurance and incorporating important changes, some minor and others more significant.
Although some of the changes seem almost insignificant, a few could literally save my life.
In that I live in a rural community, where I train has very little traffic. On any given day, in an hour I may see ten cars while power walking.
Pre-coach, one of the greatest frustrations I experienced on my morning power walks were drivers who would not slow down when approaching where I was. Little did I realize my attire was the primary reason drivers ignored me.
My coach recommended a reflective vest, reflective ankle bands and a bright fluorescent shirt. Since adding these items to my training gear I haven’t had any drivers ignore me. All have slowed down, steering clear of me.
A minor change; a huge outcome.
Another change is to wear a whistle around my neck. “If you lose cell phone reception and you hurt yourself, the whistle is essential,” Coach Kathy said.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that hiring Coach Kathy has many similarities to the business coaches I’ve hired over the years. Each taught me game-changing strategies, tips and tricks and each recommended various investments that would make my business run smoother, become more profitable and steer clear of danger zones.
Additional changes I made were with a couple of apps I downloaded. Just like software for my computer, I chose apps that are helping me to more accurately track my progress. Actually, because of one of the apps, Walkmeter, I found out I have a faster pace than I first thought.
For less than $5 I got one of the most advanced applications for walkers and hikers ever designed for a mobile device. It was built from the ground up for iPhone, iPad, and iCloud. It makes the iPhone a powerful fitness computer.
Walkmeter calculates distance, calories burned, minutes per mile, fastest speed, average speed and much more.
One of the nicest features is Walkmeter records and stores an unlimited number of workouts in order to really track my progress.
The other app I am using is MyFitnessPal. This app is free and designed to track calorie intake. Basically, I set my calorie goal and record my daily food and exercise to help me stay on track with my overall fitness goals.
Between my coach, the apps, my commitment, determination and willingness to stretch, I know this experience will continue to be awesome. Will it be without pain? Nope. I’m sure there will be plenty of pain. To think otherwise would be foolish. And yet, I have strategies to minimize the pain.
It’s the same in business. If you want to go from hobbyist to a “real” entrepreneur, investing in the right tools, information and mentors makes all the difference in the world. To think otherwise is just plain foolish.
What are you doing to stretch, grow and improve in your personal and professional life? Comments welcomed and encouraged.
