Transition includes the preparation, organization and execution of moving from one sport to the next during a race to include the right nutrition, equipment, clothing, mental and physiological shift from one type of athlete to another. This takes practice to know what you need so the athlete doesn’t become “lost in transition” (I’m not going to mention any names here to protect the identity of some really good friends of mine). Knowing what is appropriate to be successful in a triathlon also takes the ability to respond appropriately to the situation, changing as needed to achieve desired results. Much like business and life…

Successful business leaders have experienced many transitions in their career and the most successful have grown and developed the ability to adapt to their current situation.  Transitioning from the swim to the bike means you no longer need to use the same gear; goggles or wetsuit, however a bike helmet, bike gear and nutrition is needed to traverse the next stage. Similarly in business a company may need to adapt systems of support, relationships, behaviors and skills to transition to a new role, a new client or a new business opportunity. This may sound like a “well duh” as my daughter would say, however you may  be surprised as to how many people are unaware that they are biking with swim goggles and a wetsuit, or trying to leverage the same strengths that got them the promotion to now supervise an entirely new, diverse group of people

Another example of “lost in transition” is someone who is competent at their job because they are stellar at problem solving yet are unable to appropriately transition from their work role to another way of relating with their spouse or children. They may lack the ability to connect with their spouse or transfer from problem solving thinking to being supportive and communicative if that is what would be appropriate. Lack of self-awareness is one of the major pitfalls of career stalls and relationship issues.

Often when asked which of the disciplines I’m best at, I’ve always responded with “transition”, mostly because I’m not a strong swimmer, biker or runner. Now looking at it from another perspective, I hope my transitioning skill is something I will continue to grow and learn from, in sports, business and life.

When you ask yourself the question, “How am I at transitioning?” What comes to mind?

I would love to hear your comments and thoughts regarding this topic.

Running a business is very similar to training for endurance sports, yet business owners often do not treat it as such. Successful business owners or business athletes know that it is important to take care of your body, both physically and mentally. Everything that happens in life can affect the performance and productivity of a person. Running a business requires physical strength, which comes from working out and eating a well balanced diet, as well as mental strength, which comes from a focus on balancing lifestyle. The same things that apply in the world of performance or endurance athletes can be applied in the world of business as well. Let’s take a look at some of the ingredients that relates to both endurance athletes and business owners.

Running a business is not much different from training for endurance sports, such as a marathon. Keeping the end goal in mind with the proper preparation will help to bring success and well being to the mind, body and soul. In endurance sports it’s all about the race, it’s the preparation and endurance that sets apart the best in the industry.  The business world is much like a race; it’s the preparation and perseverance that distinguishes success from failure. Those who treat their body well, surround themselves with encouraging people and a business life coach  or business mentor to help guide them will find their results are much better than if they do not keep themselves energized and moving forward.business athletes