I often listen to audiobooks while I run.  They give me a chance to get some "reading" done that I would otherwise not have time for.  This weekend, I had a 15 mile training run scheduled, so I downloaded a new book onto my player and hit the road.

My book of choice for this run was Keith Ferrazzi's new, "Who's Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, Trusting Relationships."  It's a 10 hour audiobook, and thankfully I wasn't on the road for that long, so I still have a lot of it to listen to.    

The main idea behind the book is that the real path to success in life is through creating an inner circle of "lifeline relationships."  These are close relationships with a few trusted people who will offer the encouragement, feedback and support that we all need to reach our full potential.

As I ran and listened, I realized that we may need more than one inner circle.  My objective when I chose the book was to get ideas to help my business become more successful.  But as I listened, I realized that an inner circle for my running was also important.  

Running is a solo sport, but we don't have to do it alone.  In fact, I have found that one of the keys to staying motivated is to form a running group.  It's very helpful to have a group that will encourage, support, and most importantly, provide accountability for me to stick with my training goals.  Luckily, I have been able to put that circle together already.  We even have named our group.  We call ourselves Team Black Sheep.

There are many times when I don't feel like getting out of bed at oh-dark-thirty to go for a long run.  But if I know that a few of my fellow sheep will be there waiting for me, it's easier to get out the door.  Numbers vary, but usually there are five or six of us that meet regularly to encourage and support each other.  We help get each other through some of the tougher runs…like the one this past weekend.

Besides training runs, some of us even travel together.  As I push towards my goal of completing a marathon in every state, our group has traveled to some interesting places.  And running a marathon in a city or town gives you a perspective that you normally would not get.  Traveling together, we have created some great memories.

I know "Who's got my back" in my running life…and I want to thank them for their support and friendship.  Now, I need to focus on who will provide the same for my business.  I'll need to finish the book to learn how to apply the principles to my professional life…so I guess I need to go for a run.