On July 4th I ran in a 5K
 race where I had my own
 reminder about motivation 
and how it relates to success.


Now, you might be thinking that the very decision to run
 a 5K in July in Southwest
 Florida takes motivation—and that is true. In fact, I would say that there were very few
 casual runners taking part that day, for that very reason. Furthermore, waking up at 5:30 a.m. on a holiday requires its own special motivation that extends well beyond one’s desire to stay physically fit!

The race organizers appeared to realize they needed to boost morale on this sticky, midsummer morning. They put great forethought into how they laid out the race. They mapped a route that kept runners close to the start and finish line where loud music would be playing and a person at the microphone would be offering words of encouragement—ensuring an added pick-me-up from start to finish.


The race made a loop around the parking lot, out onto a side walk, then passed back into the same parking lot for a second loop. Having the finish line in sight for most of the race was a tremendous encouragement to me, and I’m sure for many others. This made it simple to pace oneself during the race and, when necessary, pick up speed.

And as I said above, being within sight of the finish line also meant being within earshot of the music— keeping the runners’ spirits high and their motivation strong.

The race was a reminder of how important it is to keep your goals in sight. Knowing your desired result will keep you on-pace and help you to visualize your path forward. While most successful salespeople are already self-motivated, having a cheering section never hurts. No matter the source of your inspiration, from within or without, surround yourself with people and things that uplift you. They will have a positive impact and help you get results.

Contact Rob Wardlaw, associate publisher of Gulfshore Business, at robw@gulfshorebusiness.com.