It's Taper Time

This week while delivering a keynote in Sydney, I met an attendee named Mark who just came off a 19-week training program and was set to compete in an Ironman event. Anyone who completes an Ironman has earned respect in my book. It's not just the race but the training - hundreds of hours of training. Mark was in the taper period to allow his body to recover from all the training, get strong, and prepare for the race ahead. I said to him, the work is done, now it’s a mind game. It’s funny that while talking to Mark, I thought about most corporate athletes like those reading this blog. The difference is the corporate athlete goes 52 weeks of the year and will even check emails and make calls on holiday. When is it the taper period for the corporate athlete? Where is it okay to put your feet up, not work hard, or not progress from one session to the next? When is it okay to eat well, get loads of sleep, read, and prepare for the next event? Over Christmas, it’s time to taper. Your corporate world is a 365 Ironman. We go hard at it all day long, and without a taper and recovery, we burn out. More and more people tell me they feel empty, that they lack direction, feel unmotivated, and are not sure if they can get through the next week. This Christmas, know that you have done the work and you are entirely entitled to your taper period. 2018 will be another Ironman so don’t feel guilty taking a break. That is the trap many athletes fall into - they feel guilty, so they just do a little more than they should. Rookie mistake! Make sure you’re ready to go and get it.