When I first started out in my career, I was like a lot of people. I wanted results fast. I wanted to win, grow, and prove myself as quickly as possible. Sales, especially, has a way of feeding that mindset. Numbers are tracked daily. Wins are celebrated loudly. Losses can feel personal. Early on, it is easy to believe that success is about speed and constant momentum.
After more than two decades in business and sales, I have learned something very different. Building a business is not a sprint. It is a marathon. And if you treat it like a sprint, you will burn out long before you reach anything meaningful.
Early Wins Can Be Misleading
I started my career at Dynamic Details right out of college in 2001. I was hungry, competitive, and focused on proving myself. That drive helped me achieve some great results. Over the years, I earned awards for new customer growth and highest dollars booked. Those wins mattered, and they helped shape my confidence.
But what I did not fully understand back then was that early success does not guarantee long-term success. Markets change. Companies get acquired. Territories shift. Relationships evolve. If you rely only on short-term wins, you set yourself up for disappointment when things inevitably slow down or shift.
Some of the most important lessons I learned came not from my best years, but from the years when I fell short of my goals.
Learning From the Years You Miss the Mark
One moment that still stands out to me was when I came up short for the highest dollars booked at Dynamic Details. I had been close, but close does not count. Instead of blaming the market or making excuses, I took an honest look at what I could control.
The answer was simple, but not easy. I needed to make more calls. I needed to get on the road more. I needed to put in the extra effort consistently, not just when motivation was high.
That shift in mindset carried me into 2010 and beyond. It reinforced something I still believe today. Progress comes from steady effort over time, not bursts of intensity followed by burnout.
Endurance Matters More Than Talent
Talent matters. Intelligence matters. Relationships matter. But endurance matters more than most people realize.
I have seen incredibly talented people flame out because they could not handle the long grind. I have also seen people with average skill sets build incredible careers because they stayed consistent, adaptable, and mentally tough.
Endurance shows up in small ways. Making the call when you do not feel like it. Staying professional during a bad quarter. Keeping perspective when a deal falls apart after months of work. These moments do not make headlines, but they define careers.
Business rewards the people who keep showing up.
Riding the Highs Without Getting Too High
One of the hardest lessons I have learned is how to handle success without letting it change my behavior. Big wins can be just as dangerous as big losses if you let them affect your discipline.
There were years when growth came easily. The market was strong. New customers were coming in. Those moments feel great, but they can create complacency if you are not careful.
I have learned to enjoy the wins without assuming they will last forever. Markets are cyclical. External factors play a huge role. You cannot control all of it, but you can control how grounded you stay when things are going well.
Staying Steady When Things Get Tough
The other side of the marathon is learning how to handle the lows. Every long-term business owner experiences down cycles. Sometimes the company grows, but personal challenges show up. Other times, you do everything right, and the market still turns against you.
I have learned not to let those periods define me. Instead of panicking or forcing outcomes, I focus on what can be strengthened. Skills. Relationships. Health. Perspective.
There are times when the best move is simply to stay in the race and not make emotional decisions. Stability during hard times is often what allows you to capitalize when conditions improve.
Measuring Success on Your Own Terms
One of the biggest mistakes people make is tying their sense of success to numbers they cannot fully control. Revenue can go up or down due to market conditions. Growth can stall even when effort stays high.
Over time, I have learned to measure success by my own metrics. Did I do the work I committed to? Did I show up for my customers and my team? Did I continue to grow as a leader and as a person?
This mindset helps remove some of the emotional swings that come with business. It allows you to stay focused on the long game instead of reacting to every short-term fluctuation.
Entrepreneurship Is a Long-Term Commitment
When I started RMS Sales in 2014 with my business partner, I knew it would not be easy. Leaving the structure of an established company to build something of your own is both exciting and intimidating.
What helped me most was understanding that entrepreneurship is not about constant acceleration. It is about building systems, trust, and relationships that can last for years. It requires patience and a willingness to adapt without losing sight of your core values.
Some years bring growth. Some years bring lessons. Both are necessary.
Balancing Drive With Perspective
I have always been driven. That has been one of my strengths, but also one of my challenges. Balance does not come naturally when you care deeply about your work.
What I have learned is that balance is not about perfection. It is about awareness. Knowing when to push and when to pause. Knowing when effort needs to increase and when rest is the smarter move.
Business is demanding, but if you sacrifice everything else for it, the cost is too high. Longevity requires taking care of yourself as much as your company.
Why the Marathon Mindset Wins
When you look at the most successful people over long periods of time, one thing becomes clear. They stayed in the game. They adapted. They did not quit when things got hard or get reckless when things went well.
A marathon mindset allows you to build something that lasts. It helps you weather downturns, appreciate growth, and continue learning year after year.
Success is not about how fast you start. It is about whether you are still moving forward when others have dropped out.