Billionaires vs. Elite Runners

I am in the exact same boat as you. I graduated from a top 20 university and now find myself searching for employment, but only after I log my daily 10-12. I am also running 80-90 a week and just killed a local 10k. The question you have to ask yourself is, ?Would you rather have a million bucks or supreme fitness?? I choose the latter and because of that I do not concern myself with what could have been had I dedicated my life to the pursuit of earning dollars.

The pursuit of excellence uses many of the same principles no matter what you do. The big difference between running and getting rich is that your window of opportunity for being a great runner is smaller. You can get rich at any point in your life. It usually takes about 5-7 years to get rich.

One major thing you need to look at when considering becoming rich is how you do it. You said you are looking for jobs. Take another look at that list. Of all the ones who are first generation rich, they own their own businesses. Very few people get rich working for someone else. The ones that do usually have to put 80-100 hours in each week in order to do that. On the other hand, if you set up your own business correctly, you can have some flexibility in your schedule and although you may work more hours than an 8-5 job, you'll have more flexibility to get in training or anything else you'd like.

Since you got some time and are interested in making money, I suggest you read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. It will give you some great insights on this subject.

I was in the same boat 15 years ago.....Ran A LOT, looked for a job - a little. Eventually found many opportunities out there that fit my needs. Once I got into the working world, I found that people who could excel at running could excel at their chosen profession. Success in the workplace came easier and faster than successes in running. And, the discipline associated with running influences every aspect of your life. That includes your work life. Once you begin working, you'll find it easy to surpass your peers because you know 'how to win' due to your competitive experiences.

The employment landscape is pretty rough right now but it should be improving in the next 6 months.

Sounds like you've got it sorted. I ended my promising (but not earth shattering) running career at 26 and focused my energy on making money. 5 years later i have got some money, real estate and a load of regrets !

The energy is now back into running while i'm still young enough and the bucks can wait. You've got a 10-15 year window for sport and a lifetime for making money. Learn from your running and acquire some skills as you go.

If you have got plenty of time are you optimising your training ? Core stability, psychology, strength and conditioning work, quality workouts and recovery or are you just running miles and playing playstation ? Make the most of the opportunity

Why don't you do a search on monsterjobs.com or whatever it is? Or is it monster.com?

There should be lots of places online to find a job.

"It's hard to get up for that 6AM workout when you're sleeping in silk boxers."-Marvin Hagler, one of the greatest middleweight boxers of all time

I am a director at a local legal group in Portland. Run 90-100 miles a week, coach other local runners, and finished in the top 10 at the Shamrock. How? I stay focused on the task for that particular part of my day. 530a out the door for the morning run. 530p out the door for the evening run. In between I work. You don't find me sitting around feeling sorry about not having much else in my life. Weekends are busy as well. Did I mention I have a wife as well?

Point is if you want a job then focus on that. You can keep running but make the necessary adjustments. Once you nail the job you are looking for - focus on what you want to do - then work your running into your everyday schedule. Stick with it a year and the 15K will turn out a lot different next March.

Yeah, with a twist. I should be unemployed, but I have a State job. We had a reorg and now there are new youngins taking over what I used to do. I now have basically nothing to do. It is demoralizing, not good for my mental health and is not fair to the taxpayers. However, the thing that's been holding me back from a full court press into looking for another position is the freedom I now have to go out midday and run as much as I want. Unfortuantely, the running's been in the crapper, but that's another story.

I think I"ll end up looking for another position where I can be productive, however. A lot of people with real jobs get up early to get their run in, no reason why I can't get my big, fat lazy butt out there too.

I have no desire for great wealth. I deplore the conspicuous consumption by many in our society. Why is everything so freakin' big? The houses, the SUVS, etc, etc? I just don't get it.

Anyway, for what's it worth I envy your mileage and "killin it" on the race scene. I don't envy my unfit neighbors with their gigantic houses and cars.

Yes. Being an elite runner is revolves around genetics and dedication. Samething with a billionaire, except the billionaire got lucky in life and isn't blessed with genetics. You are PROBABLY just as likely to win 250million dollars from the Powerball as you are to become a billionaire in life. In other words, the chances of becoming an elite runner are much bigger because an elite runner isn't 1/180,000,000.

Good point. I have known so many excellent runners who went on to become very successful in the work world so it stands to reason that the dedication necessary in track overlaps. Just wish it would work for me...

Monty

NW PDX Runner,

Is your first name Larry?

rob wrote:

Yes. Being an elite runner is revolves around genetics and dedication. Samething with a billionaire, except the billionaire got lucky in life and isn't blessed with genetics. You are PROBABLY just as likely to win 250million dollars from the Powerball as you are to become a billionaire in life. In other words, the chances of becoming an elite runner are much bigger because an elite runner isn't 1/180,000,000.

Sorry, but I couldn't disagree more with this. You think Michael Dell is "lucky"? Or Larry Ellison, Richard Li, Warren Buffett, Sumner Redstone, Richard Branson or Rupert Murdoch? That their success is based on luck; and that the success of Steve Scott, Paula Radcliffe, Paul Tergat, or dare I say, George Malley, is based on talent?

Only Second Place blames success on talent. A man's successes -- and his excuses -- are his own. Get out there and ACHIEVE darn it!

actually, i bet if you asked any of the business guru's you've listed above if they were lucky in business, each one of them would say they were extrememly lucky. no doubt buffett, dell and the rest are extremely intelligent with the entrepreneurial talent/balls (whatever you want to call it) to go out there and ACHIEVE (as you put it). but the bounces and luck along the way was a massive factor in their success. you can't really get those kinds of bounces in sport. in sport, especially running, either you're good or you're not. those assessments aren't easily made in the business world.

same boat wrote:

The employment landscape is pretty rough right now but it should be improving in the next 6 months.

Right before I'm reelected.

you're talking about two different kinds of lucky.

the original poster compared the odds of winning a powerball drawing with those of being an elite runner, or a billionaire.

you need luck in all these things. the difference is that winning a powerball drawing requires ONLY luck, while becoming an elite runner or a billionaire requires hard work, talent, dedication, AND luck. (rare cases of folks inheriting or "finding" a billion dollars excepted).

rupert murdoch, bill gates, andrew carnegie all worked hard. same with geb, tergat, and radcliffe. the "payoff" came when they were able to take advantage of the good luck because of their hardwork.

OK - it's time for some facts.

There are over 3.5 million (!) millionaires in the USA alone and the US population is only 292.8 million people. So almost 12 / 100 people in the US is a millionaire.

If we very loosely define elite runners as ranked in the 292 in the USA alone - that would mean that only 1 / 1,000,000 people in the USA is an elite runner. If we said that elite runners were those ranked in the top 1000 in the world then only 1 / 6,355,000 is elite.

So it is far harded to be an elite runner than rich. In fact,you have a better chance for being struck by lightning (1 / 700,000) than being an elite runner.

While I admire many people on LetsRun for pursuing their running goals, many of you seem to be completely out of touch with reality. 99.9999% of you will never be elite no matter how much you train. But you can continue to train at a high level and pursue realistic athletic goals without putting your lives on hold.

sources:

http://www.ncpa.org/pd/economy/pdeco/pdeco5.html

http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/basics/wlightning.htm

doped up wrote:

you're talking about two different kinds of lucky.

the original poster compared the odds of winning a powerball drawing with those of being an elite runner, or a billionaire.

fair enough. but in business or sport luck is not situation-neutral: I believe luck is nothing more than an opportunity recognised and capitalised upon. That's what separates the Malleys and Carnegies from the rest of us. Drive, determination and discpline distilled into excellence while the rest of us comfort ourselves that luck and talent explain their UTTER DOMINATION of their CHOSEN path in life.

A hypothetical. Let's do what the socialists out there always clamour for. Let's equalise everyone in opportunity and economic condition, then "ready, set go" and see who makes a billion from their starting pot and who pisses it away drinking and watching black adder reruns.

Come on guys, you would run instead of being "billionaires?" Yeah right... You would take your billion and find some other things to do. I believe most have no business being "professional" runners. The guys in the 70's and 80's all had jobs until they had a breakthrough, so why are all these guys not working, living off mommy and daddy and not having even close to the same results. Something is wrong. Personally, I like the discipline and structure that work allows my day to have. I always seem to get lazy when on vacation, especially in my running. I even had a friend who was living at home, working part time and was running really well, but since he started working as a teacher his marathon time dropped to 2:17. It is possible to work and run.

Also, what are you going to do when you are 30, and the only experience you have is working at a shoe store? You will be competing agains 22 year olds for the same jobs... How will you start a family, not start dating til you are 35? There is more to life then running, and it all fits into a day.

So what would I do...take the money and run. Literally!

No, its Jack Off.

Please NW PDX AH, tell us more about how awesome you are.