Chief Executive or Ironman?

We all hate the concept of working long hours for the sake of face time. In 2002, I held a summer M&A job in Investment Banking in London, working 90 hours every week, and I learned how inefficient face time could be. That said, you cannot build a successful company if you and your team work from 9 to 5. If you do not work at least 60 hours a week, you are not going to make it to the top. Same with Ironman. Ironman requires 12 hours a week of training for 6 months. That is just the basics to finish. If you want to have a good finish time, you will have to put it more hours. There is no way around it.

The mind controls the body, so master controlling the mind:

It is said that your mind controls your body, but have you ever really experienced this relationship in a challenging situation? Ironman teaches you these survival skills. I completed Ironman NYC in 12:12:21 seconds. I ran the first half of the marathon in 2 hours and 14 minutes, at which point, I was on pace to break 12 hours. Then, approximately 10 hours into Ironman, my body gave up. I was paralyzed at mile 16 with 10 miles to go.

No one would have blamed or criticized me for giving up right there, but I told myself that quitting was not an option. As long as the clock did not read “17:00:00,” and I had one ounce of energy left in me, I was going to move my legs forward one way or another, regardless of pain. That is when my brain took over, and showed my body who was in charge. The same mentality applies to building a company. As long as you have one dollar in the bank, you can be successful, even though everyone around you may quit.

Strive for vertical integration: There is a lot of buzz in the press and blogosphere about vertical integration. The essence is that you take control of your supply chain and master many aspects of your product design to create the best product and customer experience. Today, Apple is the best example of vertical integration, and the benefits to the company and its shareholders are well-recognized. However, the major drawback is that vertical integration is difficult, as you must excel at many things. Ironman is a more iconic sport than Ultra marathon in the endurance-sport arena because, while both are physically demanding competitions, the latter requires singular specialization while Ironman requires mastering multiple disciplines. This year, I learned that vertical integration is critical to completing an Ironman, as you need to master your training program, nutrition plan, commitment, body and mind. Racing in the Ironman was a life-changing experience for me. I am grateful for the opportunities and the knowledge I have acquired. Now that the race is over, I can say: “I am a father, husband, entrepreneur, triathlete, a COO and an Ironman.” Alex Douzet is Co-Founder and COO of TheLadders. In this role, Alex is responsible for the company strategy, global business operations, and product development.   

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