• by Dave Morgan , Featured Contributor, July 11, 2024

As many of you know, I tend to overshare my morning runs and Citibike rides. Whether I’m running in fog along the Hudson River on my way to work or over the Glass Bridge to the banks of the Dnipro in Kyiv, Ukraine, I recount them in posts on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, almost always with a photo of a scene along the way.

The feedback I get when I post those workouts, or the concern I get when I don’t (either because I forget to post or I skipped it that morning) inspires me to keep at my running and riding regimen each and every day.

As folks who have daily fitness routines know, there is no easy button for doing it. Many, many days you don’t want to get up and go outside: The weather may suck, you may have been out too late the night before, or you may just want to stay in bed and don’t feel like it. Those are always the days that you need to just push through and get it done.

Earlier this week, a friend responded to a morning run post asking “How do you run in this weather?!?” My response, “I put one foot before the other … :-)”

There is no easy button.

Over the past three decades as a tech entrepreneur, I have found that doing the right thing in business -- whether building companies or markets, in leading and managing teams -- requires a similar approach. Building and doing things right requires that exact same discipline.

There is no easy button.

When folks ask me why I get so frustrated when I see conduct by folks and companies in our industry looking to shortcut the hard work, to avoid hard conversations with clients and bosses, ringing up some easy revenue rather than demanding accountability, I think back to how much simpler it can be -- in the moment –--not to do that morning run.

Skipping runs won’t kill you -- in the moment. But years of not having a way to maintain your physical and mental health will.

The same for businesses. Looking for easy-button shortcuts might get you through the quarter, but it won’t build a great, sustainable brand, business or career. Certainly not ones that you, your family and your colleagues can be proud of.

There is no easy button for doing things right.