Entrepreneurship is Survival of the Fittest

I’ve been involved (some might say borderline obsessed!) with fitness training since my late teens. What started out as a way to add some weight to an otherwise scrawny frame, has remained a staple in my weekly routine.

Lately I’ve realized that there are numerous parallels between sustaining long-term results from physical fitness, and long-term success from business. I will be recording a podcast with some thoughts on these very parallels soon. In the meantime, I wanted to share with you some of these realizations.

First off, success and longevity through fitness requires that as your body, mind and priorities in life change, you seek out and introduce new ways to improve upon your level of fitness. When I was growing up I focused on heavy weight training and eating pretty much anything I could put my hands on. This practice allowed me to gain weight and achieve my goals of overcoming my scrawny frame.

Fast forward to more than twenty-years later and my needs and my focus are quite different. As age increases, metabolism decreases. Today I practice plenty of high intensity cross-fit type workouts being very careful about what I eat. Had I stuck with my original plan today without consideration for the changes that occur as one ages, I would likely be overweight and have plenty of aches and pains.

Long-term viability and success for an entrepreneur requires a very similar approach.

Shifting priorities: Most entrepreneur’s start their business as a result of a desire to be their own boss or simply because they need income. Overtime these priorities often shift to focusing on creating a legacy. Although fundamental priorities such as supporting one’s family never change, if after a decade an entrepreneur is chasing the same priorities they originally had when they launched their business, chances are they are chasing the wrong priorities and will not achieve long-term business success.

Re-invention: Whether we like it or not, things change. To be successful over the long-term requires that we continuously re-invent ourselves to adapt to our changing surroundings. A close friend of mine named Tom started a computer repair business over a decade ago as a way to provide support to small businesses. Today, with a half dozen employees, his company is engaged in website design, hosting and consulting. The business (and Tom) have evolved and are almost unrecognizable as compared to the early days. As Tom’s priorities and interests have changed, he has instituted re-invention of both himself and the business.

Question: What other parallels can you identify that exist between long-term business success and long-term achievements in fitness?

I would love to hear your thoughts on whether you agree with these parallels or not. Please feel free to comment below and share your ideas!

© Shawn Casemore 2014. All rights reserved.