One of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most iconic and difficult races is the Dipsea. The race’s finish line is in Stinson Beach, but the rugged trail winds through terrain that takes you up and down steep inclines on a crowed trail for race day. The person who won this year, Edward Owens, came in fourth place in 2021. The Dipsea is a grueling race and just to finish is an accomplishment. To win is amazing.
The winner, Owens, is relatively new to the Bay Area and when he discovered the Dipsea, he decided he needed to connect with Barry Spitz, author of “Dipsea, The Greatest Race” and the race’s awards ceremony announcer since 1982. In other words, Owen’s sought the wisdom and advice of the man who’d run and observed the Dipsea race for decades.
It got me to thinking about that quote I saw recently, “Athletics is not so much about the legs. It’s about the heart and mind,” by Eliud Kipchoge, the current World Record holder marathoner.
I believe in learning from others’ experiences and in setting realistic goals. Currently, I’m on Day 798 and I’ve run 2597 miles since I started. Minimum of a mile a day, every day. Once I’m out there, I can usually run 2-3 miles. Since I’m very slow, I did not choose a goal that said I wanted to run a certain distance in a certain time, but I played to my strength of sticking-to-it by running every day. They may be small, slow steps, but they add up to a big accomplishment.
The same applies to franchising, too. It’s not so much, do have a certain degree or certification, but do you have the mindset to listen, learn and do? Do you have general business experience? Can you lead by following proven systems and procedures? Do you enjoy being involved in the community? Do you want something more?
If you are ready to explore the possibilities a franchise can offer, contact me today at dianepleuss@franchoice.com.