Last week, my two oldest daughters started school. I am adjusting to a new schedule, new routines.

One goal I have personally this fall is to train for a half marathon. This summer, I ran sporadically. As a result, I am not as prepared as I would like to be to run well.

When I am well-trained, running is fun. I can flip on the treadmill and find an easy rhythm. When I am well-trained, I run faster. I also have enough endurance to run much farther.

When my fitness falters, it takes weeks of disciplined training to find my groove. I run for a few minutes and feel winded. I find myself making excuses to end the run early.

Lamenting my lack of progress will not get me the results I want. Neither will remembering my past fitness.

The only way I can get where I want to be is through consistent and disciplined training.

Rather than focus on where I’ve been before or even on where I am now, I need to stay focused on where I want to be. Then I need to take action, do what needs to be done, to get the results I want.

Business is the same as fitness. Only discipline and consistent action gets results.

Remembering the former glory of your organization may remind you of what made you successful in the past, but it will not bring results.

Dreaming about future victory will not bring results. Discussing your organization’s current status can be helpful as a gauge of progress but will not propel you forward.

To get the results you want as leader, do what needs to be done, again and again.

Join the conversation!

What barriers keep you from achieving the results you want?

What consistent, disciplined action do you need to take to get results?

This was originally posted at Mountain State University LeaderTalk and is reposted with permission.