I have been running since more than an year and an entrepreneur from a little earlier than that. And, I have been thinking recently about how running and entrepreneurship are similar in some respects. Here’s why –
You must be a little crazy to do it
Sure, some people run marathons – and surely enough, most others don’t understand why. There doesn’t seem to be any point in running without having any reason to. It is almost impossible for most people to understand why someone would wake up at 5am, on a weekend and dodge quite a few stares, dogs and run back to where they started from.
It is daunting to start
It is extremely hard to imagine being able to run a 5 or 10km trail, especially when you have been taking your vehicle out even to go to the store 200m away. You can justify that as being an attempt to save time, which is more precious than fuel of course (and which you will judiciously use to watch dumb shows on t.v), but the fact is that you are lazy to try something that takes more effort. No, you can’t run much the day you start – you will lose your breath, your stomach will hurt, you lungs feel like they will burst. But, like they (Confucious or Lao Tsu?) say – A journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step.
It is a mind game
Unlike other physical exercises, running is more a mind game than about your muscles. No, not when running short distances, i’m talking about long distance running. When you are physically drained and your legs start feeling heavy as logs, your mind has to concentrate only getting the next step right – toes to land before the heel does so you can keep going.
It is very personal and at times lonely
Running is an individual sport. You do not depend on a team mate to pass you the ball which you can convert to a goal. Many times, you will question your sanity and wonder if all of it is worth anything. You will even want to have somebody who would listen to you – but all your mates are busy with their own things. But that’s when your mind needs to be stronger and keep going.
Having partners helps
Although it is personal and mostly individual, having a running buddy helps. Not the kind who will weigh you down but the kind who will inspire you to push yourself harder. Who makes you want to improve your pace, your mileage, discuss strategies to tackle a difficult trail. Having somebody with whom you can plan goals and then train together in order to achieve them makes a lonely journey much more enjoyable.
I may be entirely off the mark here, but I just wanted to corelate two things that I love doing. You may find

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