Enjoy the Process: Life Lessons From Running & Business
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A lifetime ago, I trained for and ran a marathon. Anytime I prepare for a long race, I choose a mantra—a simple phrase I repeat when training or racing gets tough.
For my marathon, my mantra was: “Enjoy the process.”
That phrase carried me through long runs, freezing mornings, blazing afternoons, and rainy days. But it also transformed the way I approached life.
Life Lessons From Marathon Training
Training for a marathon is a lot like navigating life. There are:
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Unexpected challenges that come out of nowhere.
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Boring stretches where nothing feels exciting.
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Hard seasons where motivation disappears.
And sometimes, it feels like you’re falling behind—whether because of grief, illness, or setbacks you never saw coming.
But when I reframed my marathon goal, focusing less on finishing and more on enjoying the process, everything shifted.
Even the dreaded 800m repeats—one of the most painful workouts in running—became something I looked forward to. They were brutal, yes, but also energizing: the nervous anticipation, the gut-check moment right before starting, the exhaustion that proved I had pushed through, and the joy of finishing something hard.
That mantra taught me to find joy in the middle of struggle, not just at the finish line.
Applying “Enjoy the Process” to Hard Seasons
I’m not currently training for a marathon (though the idea of a Half Ironman is tugging at me…), but I have been through hard seasons lately.
For me, chemo was one of those seasons. And while much of it wasn’t enjoyable, I leaned into the process:
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Slower days at home meant more time with family.
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“Good” days were worth celebrating when I could take a walk or feel close to normal.
Now, in business, that same mantra helps me:
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Celebrate small wins.
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Acknowledge growth as an entrepreneur.
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Receive and enjoy the compliments when someone loves our shorts.
It’s easy to compare your progress to others and feel like you’re falling short. But I’ve found that peace, motivation, and even joy come when I focus on the process, not just the outcome.
Finding Joy in the Everyday
The truth is, we don’t need to run marathons—or go through chemo—to practice this. Life offers countless chances to find joy in the process:
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Parenting toddlers.
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Building a business.
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Recovering from setbacks.
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Training for fitness goals.
When we lean into the journey instead of rushing to the finish line, even the hardest seasons hold moments of meaning and joy.
Your Turn
Where have you found joy unexpectedly? Or what area of life do you need to lean into today?
I’d love to hear your story—maybe we can encourage one another in learning to enjoy the process.