It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon…

Yesterday was a great day to be a Bostonian.  The Red Sox, the Bruins and the Celts all had great wins, Rondo pulled out a triple-double and the greatest and most prestigious race coursed through the streets of Beantown.  You could hear the cheers and cowbells throughout city and adrenaline rushed through the veins of the runners and the observers alike.  I took the day off to participate in the festivities and found myself awed and inspired by the determination and drive of the runners.  As I was kicking my shoes against the steel partition with frustration that I can't run 26.2 miles, I realized that I've been running a marathon for the past 6 months…and that road is the recession.  I'm certainly not the only one with a bib number in this race.  Every sales person in this economy has been registered for the same race, whether they like it or not.  We've all weathered the terrible conditions and pot-hole ridden roads for months now and the finish line still doesn't seem to be in sight, but we're making progress. 
 

Just like the Boston Marathon, this race has had a few starting waves, a seriously heart-breaking hill and finishing times all over the map.  But one thing is for sure, we will all finish this race in due time.  We're all tired, we have massive blisters but think of how great it's going to feel when we cross that finish line and we're able to walk again.  This marathon is one for the ages and we just have to keep pushing.  We all have more tenacity and determination than we think we have and I would love to see everyone challenge themselves and finish strong.  And after the finish, don't stop training.  There will be more races to weather and the economy might even throw a triathlon at you, so never stop!  The more you train, the more powerful sales athlete you become and the rocky roads of the economy will be like running on a treadmill.  But pace yourself and remember:  it's not a sprint, it's a marathon.

On your mark, get set…keep goin!