In simpler times a barn full of hay was a sign the farmer had worked hard and was prepared for the challenges ahead.

This weekend I’ll compete in my 21st Ironman Triathlon. That’s a 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run in and around Whistler, British Columbia, site of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

I’ll admit it…I’m a little nervous. But the hay is in the barn.

In some ways preparing for a triathlon is similar to preparing for our own wealth management practices.

We prepare well in advance of our client meetings, we do our research, we make our calls…we put in the hard work. It could be the preparation that separates the good advisor from the average ones.

5am bike rides, cold morning swims, and hard treadmill miles

I’ve done the work for the Ironman but that doesn’t mean the outcome will be what I desired. A cramp, a blown tire, the weather…so many factors beyond our control can swoop in and wreak havoc with our plans.

We can probably compare that to investment returns for our clients. The hazards of market volatility and one-time events challenge us to adjust, make corrections and troubleshoot for our clients in real-time. If we have done the work for our clients then the results are the results.

11 hours and 5 minutes’ worth of hay.

As a leader I think it is important to state goals so we can be held accountable. In that spirit, here are my goals for Ironman Canada.

I’d like to complete the…
Swim: 1:06
Bike: 6:00
Run: 3:50
With transitions, that adds up to just over 11 hours of racing.

Putting the hay in the barn gives us our best chance to succeed.

We prepare.
We do the best we can.
We can’t control the market.
We can control our efforts.

Are you putting hay in your barn?

Be well.
Jeff Crosby

ps: Race day is coming up July 29th. Follow along on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages for updates and photos.

Be well.
Jeff Crosby

ps: Race day is coming up July 29th. Follow along on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages for updates and photos.