Executing Past the Finish Line

Just a week and a half until the Twin Cities Marathon--the target of the past 16 1/2 weeks of effort and exertion. As I lay in bed this morning debating whether to get up and run, I reminded myself that I am too close to the goal to back off from what I set out to do. Will this morning's run end up making the difference between finishing or not finishing the marathon? Certainly not. I am as ready as I will be. Getting up and running this morning supports the broader goals of discipline and perseverance--even more important than finishing 26.2 miles.

Most people that I see are not limited by a lack of ideas or even a lack of opportunities. More often, people are limited by a lack of disciplined execution, deficient work ethic, and incomplete follow through. There may be lots of reasons for these factors, but the bottom line is that most people are limited because they do not do what needs to be done--period. Make no mistake, consistent execution is not easy, nor is it the natural order of things. But those who learn to execute, especially in the face of limiting factors, will rise in any organization.

The building blocks of execution are in the small things. If I cannot get out of bed and run on a daily basis, why would I think that I can manage a team on a multi-million dollar project? So for me, this marathon thing is much more than just crossing the finish line on October 7th. It is about continuing along a path that was set by my father--do what you need to do to get it done, whatever the "it" may be.

Thanks Dad!