There is no Finish Line

Why the journey matters more than the goal

Phil Knight asks Sonny Vaccaro in the movie "Air": "Do you run?" When Sonny says no, Knight replies: "It's hard. It's suffering. It's difficult. The illusion is that the finish line is the destination. But the act itself is the destination."

Most entrepreneurs treat their startup like a sprint to a finish line. They think success means reaching that IPO, that acquisition, that revenue target. They burn out chasing endpoints, believing happiness waits at some future milestone.

This is the biggest lie in business. There is no finish line.

The runners who last longest fall in love with the daily practice: the early morning miles, the steady breathing, the rhythm of feet hitting pavement. Your startup is the same daily practice. The late-night problem-solving, the customer calls, the small improvements—this is where you grow.

Stop waiting for the destination to validate your journey. The validation is in the running itself. The act of building is the reward.

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