Tomorrow, thousands of people will run 42 195 meters through the streets of Flic’s hometown, in the 39th edition of Stockholm Marathon. We have some hobby runners in the Flic team, and I, being a former professional football player, still like to test my limits miles after miles on a weekly basis. Though I will not compete in the Stockholm marathon, I see a lot of similarities between running a marathon and working in a startup.
Here are my best tips on how to make the most out of the ride;
1) Race at your pace. We make hardware, and that is damn hard. By nature, we don’t grow as fast as recurring revenue- or software companies and we don’t strive to do that either. We go at our own pace, and so should a marathon runner. You can be sure you’re set up for failure if you try to keep up with the elite runners.
(Note! we never said that you have to run slow, just make sure to keep a pace that allows you to last for the whole 42 K..)
2) Ask for support. Running can be a lonely sport, and at times, so is the life of an entrepreneur. Don’t make it tougher than it already is. Involve your friends and family, tell them about the journey that you are on and rely on their emotional support. We would not be where we are with Flic today if it weren’t for our amazing network of family, friends, and users. So on race day, don’t be afraid to ask everyone you know to come out to cheer for you. The feeling when you embark along a path lined with your close ones cheering you on is unbeatable.
3) It’s a mental game. You think you can’t take it any longer? Hang in there and start visualizing the finish line. Nothing works better for your motivation than a clear picture of the end-game. You’ll be surprised how much further you can go.
4) Stay focused. When working at a startup, you never really clock out. You need to get as much done as possible, in as little time as possible. Pick up your smartphone to check emails when you’re in your most productive hour and you can be sure that your flow will be disrupted. The same goes for runners – focus is key.
If you are one of those running with a smartphone, don’t fumble with your phone on the starting line, attach your phone to your arm before and use Flic to;
- Track your run with Runkeeper or Strava
- Toggle play and change tracks using Global Music control
- Send an SMS with the text “prepare the wave” to your support group when you are approaching the place where they are located
Last but not least, do not be afraid of failure, like stopping halfway. Instead, channel your energy into the hope of going all the way.
To all fellow start-ups and marathon runners out there – All the very best of luck to you from me and the rest of the Flic team!
/ Elin