When Steve Jobs started building computers in his garage, he was hungry.
A few years later, Apple was a powerful brand and Jobs faced a whole new set of challenges. The Board of Directors was more concerned about how Apple’s perception, but Jobs couldn’t stop thinking about its soul.
The Suits ran Jobs out of town, so he took his youthful passion to Pixar and NEXT. Apple may have been his baby, but he never lost sight of his purpose.
Eventually, he went back to Apple with real influence. He re-trained the culture to focus on basics and ultimately changed the way we live.
Jobs was a little nuts, but what genius isn’t? Who in their right mind would think they could accomplish the things he did? And what person in their right mind would think they could complete an Ironman?
Somehow Jobs overcame resistance and made huge sacrifices to stay true to his mission. Say what you want about Jobs, but his story is a good lesson for training.
For my first Ironman I was a hungry entrepreneur sharing the message with anyone who would listen. I genuinely felt like I was moving toward a higher plane of consciousness.
Then came Number 2, and I was a more comfortable with the shape of “my business.” The product worked, it was just a matter of consistency.
In year three I have become a little complacent. Automation is taking over, but that’s no way to be great.
Racing is far more than hanging an award on a hook. Being great is a process and it helps to remember why we wanted this in the first place. For me it was to be alive, test my limits, and become a better person.
That is why I train. That is why I sacrifice. That is why I push my body to places it doesn’t voluntarily go.
It always comes back to today, to the process, to the growth. When we start chasing symbols, approbation, and medals . . . we lose.
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