Ready for a great year? Your best year ever? That’s the spirit.

For high-performing entrepreneurs, a new year feels a bit like the excitement you feel at the start of a marathon. You’ve dreamt about it. You’ve told your friends. You’ve trained. You’ve got the right shoes! Most importantly, you’ve made a commitment to go the distance.

The excitement is palpable and in January, you take those first critical steps.  As you begin, I want you to think about January as the first 10 miles of a marathon.  And I’ve written four posts to get you out of the crush of the starting crowd and put you in a position to break your personal record.  Think of me as your coach, giving you a friendly “shove” in the back just when you need it. 

At this point in your “marathon,” January is coming to a close and you are feeling tired. In a real marathon, this is where bad habits can re-emerge. You think; “I’ll just slow down for a mile and then speed up again or “I don’t really belong in this group of runners.” Don’t let that happen. Instead, lock in your gains.

You’ve been running at a fast pace for a month now.  You have made it through the crush of the starting gate, you’ve formed a bond with your group and you’ve built upon that success by expanding your reach even further.  It’s time to reflect on what’s gone well and thank people for their contributions to your success.

As you look around you, who are the five or 10 people who have impacted you the most?  Every entrepreneur is surrounded by people who help them in many different ways.  Because entrepreneurial businesses are small and often run ‘under the radar,’ many of the things people do for you are unsung and unrecognized. 

So bring them into the light.  Call people, write them thank you notes, send them a small gift and tell them how much you appreciate their support and guidance.   These “touches” will go a long, long way.  Not only is it the right thing to do, but it’s also a way of solidifying and locking in your most important relationships.  These relationships make you stronger as you go, and as you look ahead to the race to come, you’ll need every ounce of that strength.

See Craig’s full series from start to finish in “Mile 1: The Warm Up“, “Miles 2-4: Find Your Running Buddies“, and “Miles 5-7: Stretch Yourself“.