WHAT'S YOUR 20 MILE MARCH? (slow and steady approach)

I happened upon an article called the  20 MILE MARCH by Art of Manliness and it needs to be read by everyone of you who feel the need for immediate results. This is a great method to assist in achieving large goals. No matter how big a project or even dream, it can be broken down into manageable chunks.

I have a few “20 Mile Marches” this year, so I better get my boots on. 

YOU MUST READ THIS ARTICLE!

"Nine years ago, business authors Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen, along with a team of 20 researchers, set out to answer this question: Why do some companies thrive in uncertainty, even chaos, and others do not?" Art of Manliness.  We've all heard the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. The 20 Mile March takes this concept to a much further level. Here's another little story to help illustrate.  I'll get to the point, just bare with me.

In the winter of 1911, two men set out to be the first to reach the South Pole. One man, a Norwegian named Roald Amundsen, got there first  while the other man, a Brit named Robert Falcon Scott, arrived over a month later. The difference between the two expeditions? Jim Collins, in his book Great by Choice, gives one reason: the 20 mile march. One group consistently marched 20 miles a day, regardless of weather, illness, etc. While Scott’s group, chose to march hard on good days and made huge progress, but on bad days they made little to none. Hence, my referance to the Tortoise and the Hare. Slow and steady wins the race but in real-time and with real-life consequences.

“The 20-Mile March is more than a philosophy. It’s about having concrete, clear, intelligent, and rigorously pursued performance mechanisms that keep you on track. The 20-Mile March creates two types of self-imposed discomfort: (1) the discomfort of unwavering commitment to high performance in difficult conditions, and (2) the discomfort of holding back in good conditions.”

"The Seven Elements of a Good 20 Mile March

In the book, Collins and Morten lay out seven elements that create a good 20 Mile March:

1. Clear performance markers
2. Self-imposed constraints
3. Appropriate to the enterprise [or individual]
4. Largely within your control
5. A proper time-frame — long enough to manage, yet short enough to have teeth
6. Designed and self-imposed by the enterprise [or individual]
7. Achieved with high consistency" ... The Art of Manliness 

How does this relate to life? CONSISTANCY and EFFORT. As I said earlier, I happened upon this story on The Art of Manliness and it's so very true. The idea that anyone, each of us, can achieve a massive goal if we are willing to put in a consistent effort is truly powerful.  Far too often we set a goal without a plan and if we do plan, we then don't follow it. Essentially we set ourselves up to fail. Read more here... 20 MILE MARCH by Art of Manliness. I MEAN IT!  It's an easy read so just read it already. 

"While you can’t control everything that happens in your life, you can control whether you put in your 20 Mile March for the day. As you see yourself steadily, consistently marching towards your goal, your motivation and drive will begin to increase, and will keep you going until you see your goal through."

YOU are in control! What's you 20 mile march?  Health, happiness, business?  Let me know.