3 Lessons From the Boston Marathon to Apply in Business (And Life)

Intro

On a crisp morning with the leaves starting to blossom into their array of Autumn colors, 20,000 brave souls set off on a path to conquer the seemingly impossible: 26.2 miles of winding terrain that would test their endurance, preparation, and grit.

My apartment is located near the finish line of the Boston Marathon at Copley Square, so I spent much of the day watching the triumphant athletes complete their grueling odysseys.

Throughout the day, I found myself overcome with emotion various times as I witnessed the best that humanity has to offer. Competitor after competitor crossed the finish line with tears streaming down their faces, gasping for air, and clutching their ailing joints. At the same time, loved ones and strangers alike cheered them onward with everyone united towards a common goal. 

In this post, I’ll share the 3 main lessons I learned from the 2021 Boston Marathon that can and should be applied not only to endurance sports but to business and life in general. 

Lesson 1: Just Keep Going

The corner of Boston College’s campus is one of the busiest and most difficult stretches of the marathon. Throngs of lively university students crowd the banisters demarcating the running path. They’re all cheering the athletes onward as many falter around this point. It’s Mile 19 and they can see the finish line in their mind’s eye, but every part of their bodies screams at them to quit. And they still have over 7 miles to go.

Before heading over to the finish line, I spent a bit of time observing the scenes at Boston College, and there was one moment in particular that stood out above the rest. 

One of the runners’ bodies had given up on her at the intersection, and she was struggling mightily to keep moving forward. Suddenly, her legs gave out and her body spasmed as she fell to the pavement. The paramedics rushed to her aid, and the raucous crowd instantly held its collective breath. Was she going to be okay?

It turns out that she was more than okay. After only 2 minutes of assistance, she stood up with gritted teeth and began to hobble forward. Slowly but surely, that hobble turned into a jog as she regained momentum to finish the race. The resultant roar that erupted from the hundreds of surrounding fans shook the nearby train as it rattled away from campus. 

We were all inspired because we had just witnessed the greatest that the human spirit has to offer. 

While watching this euphoric scene, I was reminded of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s infamous quote:

If you can’t fly then run

If you can’t run then walk

If you can’t walk then crawl

But whatever you do

You have to keep moving forward

There are countless quotes similar to this one, all of which underscore a universal theme. Almost all great stories follow a pattern: the hero is put in a difficult situation with many obstacles. They stumble, fall, and nearly capitulate but eventually triumph over the adversity because of their determination to keep moving forward. 

One of the greatest joys in life comes from working hard towards a seemingly insurmountable goal, and enduring all the pain, hardship and setbacks before ultimately prevailing. No one knows this feeling better than marathon runners.

Wherever we’re at in life--whether we’re struggling to make it as entrepreneurs, fighting to keep a loving relationship alive, or trying to shed 20 pounds to look and feel our best--we are guaranteed to face obstacles that make us want to quit. Most give in to the voice that tells them to give up.

But it’s the special few like the runner at Mile 19 who keep going. They inspire us all and ultimately experience some of the most meaningful feelings known to humankind. 

The night is darkest before dawn. We can all find it within ourselves to not quit. And it’s always worth it. 

Lesson 2: Gratitude 

In November 2011, Marko Cheseto was stuck outside in Alaska for 66 hours, isolated and without help. He contracted severe frostbite which resulted in doctors amputating both his legs to keep him alive. 

Fast forward 8 years. In 2019, Cheseto set the record for a double amputee at the Boston Marathon, finishing with a staggering time of 2:42:24.

During the most recent Boston Marathon, one of his prosthetics malfunctioned at Mile 12--before he had even reached the halfway point of his race. This ultimately prevented him from breaking his previously established record as he had hoped. As he describes it:

“My right prosthetic wouldn’t hold into me. It was losing suction. At Mile 12, I had to think about how I was going to tackle the remainder.”

Despite the complications which frustrated his efforts, Cheseto was full of nothing but smiles and gratitude when he crossed the finish line (still at a very impressive time of 2:53:09).

“This is incredible to be alive, running, doing what I love to do. And that’s why I don’t ever complain about what happened today. I am very happy with my performance today because, to me, this is a second chance at life.”

Isn’t it beautiful that someone who has faced his share of unimaginable adversity approaches life through the lens of pure gratitude, rather than focusing on what he might not have or lamenting what could have happened differently?

We can all learn from Marko’s example. No matter what we are going through, there is always something or someone to be grateful for. 

Even the struggles that we face in business or in life present opportunities for gratitude. Because those struggles are making us stronger versions of ourselves and they’re also teaching us valuable lessons that we can’t extract from easily achieved success.

Science also shows that practicing gratitude literally rewires the brain for happiness.

In one study conducted by researchers at the University of California and the University of Miami, they asked all participants to write about their lives for 10 weeks.

One group wrote about only things they were grateful for, a second group wrote only about things that irritated them, and a third wrote about neutral events.

At the conclusion of the 10 weeks study, those in the gratitude group scored significantly higher on various happiness scales, were more likely to exercise, and visited physicians for ailments far less likely than either of the other 2 groups. 

These results were also replicated by many other similar studies, making the science clear: gratitude reciprocates. 

Lesson 3: Find Your Why 

Chaz Davis won the vision impairment division of the 2021 Boston Marathon with an astonishing time of 2:46:52, becoming the inaugural winner of the new category.

After the race, he spoke about some of the challenges he faced along the way, mentioning that he severely rolled his ankle at mile 12 which made the rest of the race agonizing on his body. Despite wanting to quit, he found the willpower to continue and eventually win.

How? He remembered his motivation:

“Less than halfway through I was in such immense pain that I thought about just stopping right there. But number 1, it’s Boston. And number 2, I wanted to set an example for everyone else out there who might think that people with disabilities can’t do it. And that’s really what brought me to the finish.” 

150 years ago, Nietzsche said: “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

Chaz Davis found the reserve strength he needed to finish the marathon by tapping into his reason for running in the first place: to be an example and inspiration for others. 

Looking outside himself is exactly what compelled Chaz forward, and the magnitude of his results directly correlated with the strength of his why. 

We all stumble, no matter what the endeavor. Yet, being crystal clear on why we’re pursuing a particular dream or course of action will provide that extra strength to propel us forward despite the inevitable obstacles that arise. 

I urge you to reflect for a moment on the various projects in your life. Perhaps you have an ambitious business goal, personal fitness milestone, or an artistic dream. Whatever you’re pursuing, consider why you’re pursuing it. Is it to bring more joy to the world and to others? Or perhaps you want to be a role model for someone else in your life. 

Whatever the reason, a good why focuses outside the self. Giving to the world instead of taking is a universally accepted pathway to sustained joy. 

We human beings have a deep-seated need to create meaning out of this strange experiment called life. Finding a why that makes us feel alive will keep us moving forward--despite the adversity we face. In the process, we’ll also inspire others to uncover the best versions of themselves. 

Conclusion: Lift Each Other Up

The marathon reminded me of a bonus lesson that we so often forget today: the importance of cheering each other on and lifting each other up. Everywhere you go along the route of the marathon, you’ll encounter thousands of spectators cheering on the athletes. Many are family members and close friends of the athletes, but an equally large number consists of spectators who don’t know any of the participants. And these spectators are cheering just as loudly as the family members. 

On marathon day, everyone is on the same team. We all want to see the runners triumph over their quest, and we go to great lengths to spur them towards success. Spectators make signs for the runners, provide food/water, and offer words of encouragement throughout the entire journey.

It’s impossible not to be inspired by the Boston Marathon because it brings out the best of humanity. Incredible athletes display their skills and determination, charitable causes receive beautiful attention/support, and spectators cheer loudly for people we don’t even know.

In a world that can often seem cruelly divided with pessimistic forecasts of the future, the Marathon restores faith in humanity. 

As the afternoon gave way to evening, I found myself hugging a 47 year old mother of 3 at the finish line while she wore a shirt that said: “Never trust a fart after Mile 15.” Tears of joy streamed down her face, and I couldn’t help but tear up myself as we embraced. 

Because I realized that no matter what we see and read, there is plenty of love in the universe to share. We just need to re-acquaint ourselves with it. 

Thanks a lot for reading. I’d love to hear about your experiences, too! Drop a comment below if you’ve ever run or watched a marathon live. Did you learn any other lessons along the way?