Startup lessons from the gym

or losing 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) in a two hour gym session (no, not all water loss).

Today, I decided to make my trip to the gym more spectacular. I wanted to push my limits and decided that I would not leave the gym till I burned 1.5kg (or 3.3 lbs). It was almost like the ‘last chance workouts’ made popular by The Biggest Loser.

Through that process, I saw some parallels with the Startup experience that will be useful lessons for Budding CEOs.

#1 Prepare for the workout:

Just as getting enough stretching and fluids is important before exercise, preparing yourself mentally, physically and financially before you go into your business full-time is almost half the battle won.

Plan your first few iterations, the first few baby steps and work your way up gradually. Some people may take 5 mins to stretch, others mix a light workout with their warm-up routine. Depending on your business type, this preparation can take you a day, a few weeks, or even months and years, but regardless, it is still important to prepare well.

We’re launching a checklist to help you evaluate your business ideas and plan the first few baby steps. They include understanding your motivations, understanding your skills, finding your mates, printing a business card, talking to your initial customers and advisors.

Feel free to add to this list in the comments section.

#2 Don’t waste time in the gym:

You have big goals and your biggest constraint is your time. My workout was focused on machines that were cardio intensive, and when one machine was exerting a particular muscle group too intensely, I switched to another. Throughout the workout, I was either working the machines, stretching or hydrating, there was no wasted time in between.

Similarly, with startups, it is important to have a goal and work towards it. Watch out for tasks/partnerships that might detract you from your original goal, but be flexible enough to make changes based on feedback you get from your customers/ experts you talk to. (I think I must have weighed myself 5 times during the gym session to track progress)

Randy Komisar says the entrepreneurial character is comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty, tenacious about their pursuit of opportunites and yet, receptive to course corrections.

#3 Make sure you have support:

Even if you’re working out by yourself, you need to make sure you have a support network. Involve friends, family, other entrepreneurs that you can share your progress with. We’re all social creatures and a little validation now and then can fuel your continued progress.

If you’re worried they will not understand your experience, share with them this useful article: “How to date an entrepreneur“.

#4 Get enough rest:

Joi Ito, says startups should work in iterations (agile development). Plan a 3-week sprint focusing on short-term objectives. Test and track the results then brace for another 3-week sprint based on what you have learned about your product, your customers and new assumptions.

Just as your body needs to recover after a workout, it also needs to get some rest after each iteration. Use the time to challenge your original assumptions, get as much feedback as you can and spend some time with your loved ones.