A marathon, not a sprint
October 12, 2011 No CommentsBusiness has often been compared to a marathon. Preparation for a long, tough race is necessary. But almost anyone can complete a marathon with the right training.
The mistake of many entrepreneurs is to think of their business as a sprint. They want instant success and surrender after a few missteps.
Marathon runners train for months both physically and mentally before they dare join a race. They expect the races they join to be long and difficult. Their primary goal is to simply finish each race. Thinking about winning a race will entail even more difficult preparation, which not everyone is inclined to do.
So too should entrepreneurs who own online stores plan for the long haul. Finishing the marathon is the equivalent of the turning point when the business moves out of the red and into the black. There’s plenty of room for everyone to win. There will be big winners – those who finish ahead of the pack — and there will be smaller winners – those whose stores only provide a little extra income – but most can finish the race if they have the proper mindset.
For an online store, the first few orders can take weeks, even months before they come in. But profits are always forthcoming for the right businesses, those that provide a product or service for the right market.
Sprinters who enter the market are like businessmen looking for instant wealth. They easily fall prey to get-rich-quick scams, of which there is a glut in the online world.
Remember, whether in the real world or in the world of online business, patience is a virtue. You need this virtue in order to succeed.
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