Category: Reflections

Commentary and links to interesting content on the web

Boston Marathon 2018- Race Preparations

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It’s that time of year again!  The Boston Marathon Race is on April 16th,. I’ll be running for the second year in a row,  with new goals: re-qualify to run again, set a P.R. by 5 minutes, and place in the top 20% of men in my age group. Just reached my 100th day of marathon training, and as I look back at those days, some highlights come to mind:   

  • I’ve run 500 training miles since Christmas. The most in one week was 49 miles.  I’ve run 20+ miles only 3 times during this training.
  • My body had to learn to shift from burning carbs to burning fat while running…it finally did!
  • I’m so pleased to work with professional coaches who created my schedule and advise on pace, exercises, nutrition, hydration, cadence, etc.
  • Training included 4 running workouts and 1-2 cross training workouts each week. Rain or shine.  Dark or light.
  • Besides coaches, I found it helpful to run with others who have similar running goals and discipline.

 

 

Having a lot of cheerleaders helps, too!  Good reminder for me to cheer on all my friends and colleagues as they pursue their goals in life.  Wish us all success!

 

 

 

 

 

Report from Seoul, Korea

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Stanton Chase is now recognized as one of the Top Ten Global retained executive search firms.  To keep us there, and better able to serve our clients, we have two global partner meetings annually. We meet in teams to discuss industry trends, practice-group market dynamics, meet other search consultants in our fields. We invite expert speakers, and learn best practices from each other.

Our office team in Seoul, South Korea, put in much preparation over the last 6 months to get ready for partners from over 30 countries to visit, meet, and learn. We worked on industry and functional practice areas by day, and socialized and experienced Seoul by night. Our local office introduced us to many restaurants, theaters, and venues.

My wife and I added a day on each side of the 4-day meeting, and visited Seoul’s many, hilly, yet manicured parks. I enjoyed morning runs along the Han River, and through their beautifully maintained city. We also were fortunate enough to tour the DMZ, and the new 123-story Seoul Sky office tower, the 4th tallest building in the world. We navigated their efficient train/bus/subway system, and sample many kimchis.

Teamwork, comradery, learning, and building trust. It was a busy, productive, and enjoyable trip to Seoul, one of the most modern cities of the world.

Maintaining Focus to Achieve Your Goals

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“GOALS…What you see when you are not focusing on the challenges.“

A Parable on Careers

I set a goal for myself to qualify for the 2017 Boston Marathon.  Goal achieved.  It was not easy…in fact, there was time, effort, and some degree of pain.  But I had a dream, consulted with coaches and mentors, wrote out a specific plan, and then put in the work.  Gratefully, the work, planning, and coaching paid off and I realized my dream of qualifying by running the California International Marathon in Sacramento in goal time.

Then I set a new goal, this time to run the Boston Marathon and beat my previous marathon time.  Having achieved success before, I got a little laid-back in my pursuit of this new goal.  Distractions and set-backs became too common during my training.  One week I caught myself about to give up on meeting my daily training goal, when a fallen tree blocked my trail.  Turning back would have cut my run  short by about 4 miles.

Whoa! Large tree blocking my path.

Focus on this spot!

At first, I turned back.  Then I caught myself…how easy to lose sight of my goal.  I needed to run another 4 miles to stay true to my goal workout.  I reset my gaze on the fallen tree, examined it from different angles, and squinted for signs of the old trail on the other side.  Voila!

Upon determined inspection, I first saw the old trail, and then discovered a way through to it.

With a little extra effort, re-dedication to my goals, committed focus and determination, I made my way past this obstacle and continued my journey to success.  Having persisted and prevailed, I found new confidence in the pursuit of my goal and staying true to my workout.

Persistent focus unveils new pathways.

Next I was to run 19 miles on paved roads, and I attacked my work with renewed vigor.  I’ve since encountered more obstacles and challenges, but am stronger in my conviction, more confident I can overcome, and more determined in my commitment to my training and eventual success in achieving my goal!

I also am proud to say that in April of 2017 I successfully finished the Boston Marathon.  In fact, I re qualified to run it again next year.

What challenges are you facing in successfully achieving your goals?  Are you focusing on those challenges, or your goals? Where have you successfully overcome challenges and “found your path“?  How can you use this story as a parallel for staying focused on achieving success for yourself and your team?

Wishing you much continued focus and career success!