THE PROCESS

Runners are goal-oriented by nature. In a way, achieving them defines us - our personal records, weekly mileage and races won.

From childhood we’re told the importance of goal setting. And it’s true - clear goals provide direction and motivation throughout our lives. I wanted to play major league baseball when I was twelve. I wanted to break 9:00 in the steeplechase when I was twenty. I wanted to start my own company when I was twenty-five. Each of those goals set me down a certain path fueled with ample ambition.  

But while our goals provide an endpoint, they are ineffective at creating the behaviors required to achieve them. Habits are much more powerful. Once formed, they operate unconsciously and automatically.

For example, if your desired outcome is to improve your core strength, you can commit to doing three hours of core per week (goal), or you can add a simple core routine as a part of your cool-down for each run (habit).

There is something empowering about setting a lofty goal – as if you have the audacity to assume you can achieve it. It can be inspiring and motivating. But it can also be daunting. Personally I’ve found the most meaning in creating simple, repeatable habits that I know will lead to improvement. As much as I desire the lofty goal, it is the process I’m devoted to. The process isn’t sexy and it’s certainly not instantaneous. But it’s the surest path to the goal.

As an athlete, when I focused on the process - when I found motivation and self-worth in consistency and in incremental improvement - I had better outcomes. Without a process to guide us forward, we can too easily justify taking a different path on any given day. We can too easily fall off track.

I’ve applied that same thinking to building the Tracksmith brand. I started with the lofty goal of fundamentally changing the way running is presented and perceived. The first three and a half years have been focused on the process that I think will get us there - laying a strong foundation of distinct brand assets on top of which we rely on simple and repeatable initiatives. Like training, there are good weeks and bad weeks. There are times when doubt creeps in or when others question if we’re improving fast enough. But if you believe in the process you can more easily focus on making the right decisions.

Training and brand building are similar in one important way - you have to put one foot in front of the other. Sure, luck and timing can play a significant role in success, but they’re outside of our control. Long-term success requires a dogged persistence and a belief that hard work and dedication will get you there. So that is what we’re trying to do, 365 days a year with no days off.

For the race we’re trying to run, we’re still not very far off the starting line. We have a ways to go and we hope you’ll join us for the journey.

Sincerely,

Matt Taylor