Be Sure to Stretch.

Not only is it a bit cliche to say that building a business is much like running a marathon, it’s somewhat inaccurate. When faced with the challenge of running a marathon, you have a strong sense of what you’re up against. You’ve seen the course map, bought some decent insoles, and loaded your ipod with good music. Over several weeks or months, you’ve followed a training regimen, and feel prepared for the task at hand come game day.

Unfortunately, with a new business, no matter how much research you do or how many months you prepare, readiness will forever remain illusive, and at some point, you’ll just have to show up with your number pinned to your chest and hope that the weather holds. Route maps across this landscape are at best rough estimates of the road ahead. No two businesses ever run the same 26.2 miles, so when others attempt to offer you directions, thank them graciously, but know that your destination is different from theirs and you will inevitably need to stray. That said, there is one major step you can take to arm yourself against the unknown. Be sure to stretch. Flexibility counts for a whole hell of a lot, and it is a skill that never loses value. Every successful business accepts this sooner rather than later.

This American Life recently did a story on The Onion, everybody’s favorite fake news source. Ira Glass got to sit in while the writers of The Onion selected the headlines for an upcoming issue. Over the course of two days, and after considering nearly 600 suggested headlines, they settled on 16. That’s right, 16 out of 600. In listening to a couple of the writers talk, the importance of flexibility surfaced, as they described the subtle nuances behind why some headlines work and are chosen and why others are rejected. Although they may feel very attached to a particular idea or story, nearly 10 out of 10 times, its not going to pan out.

The shitty odds faced by The Onion writers are not necessarily unique, and if you look at it the right way, it’s encouraging to those of us in the early stages of development. Nothing will ever go as planned, and the way you do things in the first month is probably not how you’ll do them in the second. At every turn, it will be necessary to let things go, whether they be ideas, products or processes. Initially, these constant shifts may feel like mini earthquakes, which can certainly stifle your steady pace. However, if you can take a deep breath and a moment to stretch, you’ll be better equipped to jump over those new cracks in the pavement and continue on your way.

To hear the Tough Room episode of This American Life, click here!

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