We often hear people compare difficult drawn-out challenges to running a marathon race. Building a business is one of the ultimate long games you can play and in this episode, the NC DWI Guy compares growing your legal business to running a marathon. Having just run an actual marathon, Jake applies the lessons learned from training for the race to growing a successful law practice. Jake identifies 10 ways that running a marathon is comparable to growing your practice:

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1. Mindset – strengthening your mind is the most important muscle to grow in both preparing for a marathon and building your business.

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2. Training – you can’t win at business, in the courtroom, in life, or a race without putting in the reps.

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3. Identity – are you a runner (or legal business owner) or are you someone who runs a marathon (or dabbles in criminal defense)?

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4. Accountability – running and practicing law can sometimes feel like lonely endeavors. This is why you need an accountability team to encourage you and keep you on pace to hit your goals.

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5. Process Oriented – is your favorite part of practicing law preparing your case (like training for the race) or hearing the words not guilty (like crossing the finish line)? Are you process driving or results driven?

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6. Systems – if you want to give yourself the best shot at any challenge you need to become obsessed with the details.

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7. Goals – what is your goal in business? Is it to cross the finish line (i.e. survive) or to hit a specific number (i.e. attack)?

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8. Competing with yourself – in any athletic race you are primarily racing against yourself (trying to beat your previous best time). The same thing is true in business. You are not competing against other criminal defense lawyers; you are competing against who your law firm was yesterday.

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9. Mentorship – in a marathon the easiest way to stay on pace is to get behind a pacer. You need to be the pacer in your law firm and make it easy for your team to follow your path to the finish line.

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10. Support system – a marathon is difficult especially in the late miles before the finish line. No matter what challenges we face, the power of cheerleaders encouraging us to keep going cannot be understated.

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11. BONUS: Don’t Quit – one of the most important keys to crossing the finish line during a marathon race is to just take the next step. No matter how many miles are left on your business goals, commit to keep inching toward them.

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