Financial Lessons From Training for a Marathon- Part 2 is part of  a 4 week series that will run every Wednesday until September 22, 2010. The entire series can be found under Money Tips.

Lesson 3: Never Stop Practicing

It wouldn’t matter how many training books I would read or how many forums I would participate in, the only way I was actually going to be strong enough to reach the finish line was to practice running. I knew I had to work on my cardio and improve my endurance. I knew I had to build more muscle strength. The only way I was going to last 26 miles was by preparing my body through diligent practice. I needed to run on a regular basis in order to build up the skills necessary to be successful at running.

This is the same with anything else. Whether it be trying to get our dream job, saving for a down payment, or beginning a new business adventure, we need to prepare ourselves. We need to practice to improve and make sure we are as ready as we can be. Remember, every little bit counts and over time you will see the result of baby improvements building up on one another. If you are trying to save money for a down payment, putting into practice the habit of saving $50 a week will really add up in the long term. Don’t get discouraged with the amount of progress you are making. Remember that progress is progress and practice makes perfect.

Lesson 4: Use Self Discipline

Believe me, there were numerous times where I was tired. My body was sore and my mind was tired. I didn’t feel like running an inch, let alone a mile or more. There were in all honesty a lot of days like that; days where I felt like giving up, but I knew I had to do it anyway. No one was making me do it. I had to have the self discipline to push myself and do what I needed to do.

We all know what we need to do when it comes to various parts of our life like our duties at work, saving for retirement, or cleaning the house. No one is going to force us to get the job done so to speak. We need to have the self discipline to get things done. Be responsible and accountable like we learned last week. Use self discipline as your tool for reaching your goal. Don’t wait for someone else to do it for you because it won’t happen.  If I didn’t train like I did and discipline myself, I would not have finished the race and truly failed myself.

Stay tuned for next week when two more important lessons will be shared.