They happen before the sun comes up, during a long training ride, a run that doesn’t go as planned, or a workout where everything feels harder than it should.

I’ve spent years training for endurance events, and while crossing the finish line is rewarding, I’ve realized the biggest lessons have very little to do with racing. They’ve shaped how I lead teams, advise businesses, make financial decisions, and navigate the inevitable setbacks that come with work and life.

One of the things I enjoy most about working with endurance athletes and leaders is that many of them naturally think this way. They understand that meaningful progress takes time. They know there will be setbacks. They don’t expect every day to be perfect, and they recognize that success is built through consistent decisions rather than one extraordinary effort.

The good news is that you don’t have to be an endurance athlete to develop that mindset.

Whether you’re leading a business, managing your finances, growing your career, or simply trying to create a little more balance in your life, the same principles apply.

Here are four ways anyone can build an endurance mindset.

1. Lead with the Long Game in Mind

Leadership isn’t tested when everything is going well, it’s tested when plans change.

In endurance training, there are days when your body doesn’t cooperate, the weather turns, or an injury forces you to adjust. One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned is that pushing harder isn’t always the right answer.

Earlier this year, I dealt with a calf injury before a race. I could have ignored it and chased a personal best, but the risk wasn’t worth the reward. One race wasn’t worth jeopardizing the rest of my season.

Leadership requires that same perspective.

Strong leaders don’t react emotionally to every challenge. They pause, assess the situation, and make decisions based on where they want to be months from now, not just by the end of the day.

Sometimes the smartest move is protecting your ability to keep moving forward.

2. Build a Business That Can Go the Distance

Businesses, like endurance races, reward consistency over time.

It’s easy to get caught up chasing rapid growth, new opportunities, or immediate results. The businesses that last aren’t always the ones growing the fastest. They’re the ones making disciplined decisions over and over again.

An endurance mindset reminds us that progress compounds. Small improvements made consistently often outperform big bursts of effort followed by burnout.

Instead of asking how to grow faster, ask how to build something that’s still strong three years from now.

That shift in perspective influences how you hire, how you invest, and how you prioritize your time.

3. Respect Capacity Before You Chase Growth

This is where endurance and finance intersect more than most people realize.

One of the quickest ways to end your season as an athlete is to ignore your body’s limits.

Businesses have limits too.

I’ve seen companies have a great month, look at the cash in their bank account, and immediately justify a new hire, a larger marketing budget, or another investment without asking whether it truly supports their long-term goals.

Just because you have the resources doesn’t automatically mean it’s the right time to use them.

The decisions that matter most are the ones that keep the business healthy six months or a year from now.

Just like endurance training, protecting your capacity often leads to better long-term results than pushing to your limit every single time.

4. Accept That You’ll Get Knocked Off Course

One of the biggest misconceptions about consistency is that it means doing everything perfectly.

Life doesn’t work that way.

Travel happens. Family needs your attention. Work gets busy. Injuries happen. Unexpected opportunities come along.

Over the years, I’ve learned those moments aren’t interruptions to the journey. They are the journey.

As I’ve told my coach more than once, there are going to be times when you’re on path and times when you’re off path. The important thing is recognizing that both are part of the process and learning how to adjust without losing sight of the bigger goal.

Getting knocked off course is inevitable. What matters is how quickly you adjust and keep moving.

An Endurance Mindset Is for Everyone

People often assume endurance training is about becoming physically stronger. In my experience, it’s really about becoming mentally steadier.

It’s learning to think beyond today’s challenges, manage risk without losing ambition, stay consistent even when motivation fades, and understand that lasting success is built one decision at a time.

Those lessons have helped me become a better athlete, but they’ve also made me a better advisor, business owner, leader, husband, and father.

That’s one of the reasons I enjoy working with leaders who already embrace an endurance mindset. They understand that sustainable success is rarely about quick wins. It’s about making thoughtful decisions, adapting when circumstances change, and staying committed to the long game.

The good news is that you don’t need to train for an Ironman to build that mindset. You simply need to choose progress over perfection, consistency over intensity, and long-term success over short-term gratification.

Those are lessons all of us can put into practice, no matter where we’re starting.

As a ten-time Ironman competitor now preparing for my eleventh, I’ve spent countless hours training, which gave me ample time to ponder the concept of endurance and how it applies to various aspects of life.

With every mile pedaled on the bike, every lap swam in the pool, and every step pounded on the pavement, I came to realize how mastering the mindset of endurance can build strength, character and success, and not just when it comes to sports – it’s also a crucial skill for entrepreneurs to cultivate.

One of the reasons I am passionate about endurance is that it forces us into difficult situations. As endurance leaders, we lean into the pain, discomfort and self-doubt, and we grow from it. Each milestone we complete and every obstacle we surmount builds tenacity and character.

This is what shapes the heart of a leader. Staying focused on the goal is important, but so is having an appreciation for the journey as we conquer each hurdle on the way to the finish line.

Entrepreneurs tend to use our past experiences as points of reflection when we subsequently face challenging times, especially financial struggles.

We can recall a time when we felt overwhelmed or defeated and recognize what we did to endure those tough moments. We can look back on the ultimate outcome of each situation and realize that success is possible, even when it seems like all is lost.

Understanding the connections between the tough times and the ensuing positive outcomes keeps us from giving up even when we are facing a crisis.

Another lesson I’ve learned from building endurance in athletics is that it leads to the discovery of practical and powerful tools. These might be little things, but they can be mighty – they help us make it one more mile or climb another 1,000 feet when we feel like we can’t go any further.

During training, athletes learn to use tools and build support teams around us. This provides us with constructive options right when we most need support.

In my experience, endurance training is most effective when it is broken down into smaller increments. Running a marathon is difficult, no question. But if you look at it as 26 one-mile events, it takes the sting out of the larger goal – the marathon.

The same concept applies to leadership. During uncertain times, ask yourself a question: how can I be a great leader today? Tomorrow I might fail or ultimately quit. But for today, we can rally and be great leaders.

If you are committed to living the endurance mindset, you are building strength through repeated practice to boost your confidence. This will help you make it through the tough times.

As leaders, we are training for these big moments by guiding our teams, calculating risk, and remaining committed to innovation. All these efforts are good practice for when the challenges are greatest. If you have performed this practice repeatedly and consistently, you will carry the confidence to stay positive through difficult times.

Think about the biggest challenge you are facing right now. Instead of asking how you will make it all the way through, identify the next mile. What is one decision, conversation or action you can take today?

Endurance is built one step at a time, and sometimes the most important thing a leader can do is simply keep moving.

While it’s important to be present for your team, staying invigorated and engaged can’t happen if you don’t take steps to care for your well-being. While it might seem like stopping to take a beat is not worth the time when there are other issues to manage that seem more pressing, figuring out how to hit your reset button is a necessity, not a luxury. Learning how to carve out time to de-stress and recharge is a crucial life skill for becoming a healthy, positive and productive leader over the long term.

Let’s explore some steps you can take to care for yourself to help you become a stronger, healthier leader, both mentally and physically.

1. Develop healthy habits

Many leaders struggle to find enough time in the day to consistently practice healthy habits. Whether it’s cramming down fast-food meals in airports, skipping your exercise routine, or being constantly sleep-deprived because work is eating away your resting time, it’s easy to get sidetracked from a healthy lifestyle. But dedicating time to staying physically healthy will give you more energy and foster a healthy mindset, too. It will supply you with the strength and positive attitude you need to tackle complicated problems and help keep stress at bay.

2. Schedule time for relaxing, restorative activities

Everyone has activities they cherish, the kind that nurtures souls and minds and allows you to relax and decompress. Think about what these interests are for you and give yourself some time and space to enjoy them. Perhaps it’s a hobby that you stopped practicing years ago, or a new pastime you’ve always wanted to try but didn’t afford yourself the time. It could be taking up an artistic or creative pursuit such as drawing, painting, or sculpting. Maybe you’ve always dreamed of learning to play an instrument. Or perhaps you want to immerse yourself in participating in sports, such as running a marathon or joining a rowing team. Great rewards can come from exploring these non-monetary outlets for happiness. There is the joy that comes from learning new things, the satisfaction of achieving in a new arena, and the thrill of taking part in a pastime simply because you love doing it.

3. Maintain social connections

No one succeeds alone. While you may not feel much like interacting with others when you are stressed out and overworked, taking time to nourish bonds with friends and family is essential. Or you might have a peer group of fellow leaders who give you strength and solace. Isolating yourself will only make matters worse. While it’s tempting to believe that no one will understand what you’re going through, that’s often a misperception. Maintaining interactions with loved ones can give you a boost of energy and provide a support system that will help you ride out business challenges and keep difficult situations in perspective. Volunteering to help those in need can also deepen your gratitude and expand your insight.

4. Find quiet time to think and reflect

It’s not uncommon for leaders to explore and experiment with a variety of ways to calm an active mind. Every person is wired differently, so finding out what works for you might require some trial and error. Making time to calm the mind by meditating for even a few minutes each day can make a world of difference, allowing you to be mindful of your thoughts and emotions. For others, simply clearing time to do some deep thinking without the pressure to be constantly productive can allow you to work through obstacles. Breaking complicated situations into smaller problems can make it easier to tackle them. You can also prioritize tasks and create an action plan, which wards off the feeling that you are helpless in the situation and gives you a sense of control.

5. Remember your purpose

Leaders usually carry a strong sense of vision. Writing down your goals and reminding yourself of the reasons you were drawn to a leadership role in the first place can soothe your sense of burnout. Your greater goals and purpose are powerful motivators. Keeping them top of mind can do wonders to refresh your spirit and give you the strength to hurdle obstacles on your way to getting there.

Stay the course

We all need a gentle reminder to take care of ourselves when the hustle and bustle of a busy life as a business leader threatens to overwhelm and overshadow every other part of our days. Most importantly, don’t give up. Recognize that feeling defeated and drained is not a sign of weakness. It’s a normal reaction to a stressful set of circumstances, and it’s not something to be ashamed of. Treating yourself with kindness and compassion when you’re feeling low, rather than beating yourself up for having these feelings, can help you turn a nose-dive into burnout territory into an opportunity to fly even higher.