Creativity, Discipline, and the Half Marathon Mindset
Training for a half marathon is like running a design studio: you put in the hours, hit roadblocks, and push through when giving up feels like the easiest option. Both demand patience, consistency, and the ability to show up, even when progress feels painfully slow. Some days, my legs are in full rebellion; other days, my brain wants to tap out after back-to-back client meetings. But I’ve learned that whether I’m logging miles or refining my creative process, success isn’t about one big breakthrough. It’s about steady momentum. Training for the Austin half marathon wasn’t just about endurance. It was a masterclass in discipline, adaptability, and trusting the process, all of which are just as crucial to running a business as they are to crossing a finish line.
Showing Up, Even When It’s the Last Thing You Want to Do
There were mornings when I sprung out of bed, ready to run. And then there were mornings when I contemplated every excuse imaginable: weather too cold, legs too tired, existential crisis too real. But I ran anyway, not because I was feeling heroic, but because progress doesn’t care about my mood.
Design works the same way. Some days, ideas come in like a flood. Other days, I stare at my screen, hoping inspiration will arrive via express delivery. But creativity, like endurance, isn’t built in bursts of magic. It’s built in the quiet act of showing up, day after day, even when you don’t feel like it.
Trusting the Ugly Middle
During my weeks of training leading up to the half marathon, I encountered plenty of awkward, painful, “why am I doing this?” miles. You don’t wake up and suddenly run 13.1 miles with grace. You trudge through uneven progress: some days strong, some days miserable, all leading up to something bigger.
The creative process is no different. The middle is always messy. Ideas start out clunky, designs need refinement, and progress feels glacial. But if you trust the process, putting in the reps and adjusting along the way, you come out on the other side with something real, something that wouldn’t exist if you had quit when it got uncomfortable.
Pushing Through When Your Brain Screams ‘Stop’
Around mile 9, there was a moment when my body presented a very tempting alternative to finishing: lying down on the sidewalk and reevaluating all my life choices. But I pushed through because I had trained for this. I reminded myself that the pain was temporary, but the finish line would last forever.
Design has that same “I should just scrap this” moment. You’re in the middle of a project, it’s not quite working, and suddenly, rewatching an old sitcom seems like a far better use of time. But breakthroughs come to those who push past the resistance, who sit with the discomfort instead of running from it. Some of my best creative work has come from sticking with an idea just a little bit longer than I wanted to.
The Final Push: Finishing with Intention
During the last stretch of my race, exhaustion and willpower were in a full-blown battle. It wasn’t about whether I had energy left; it was about making the choice to finish strong. That moment when I crossed the finish line made every tough mile worth it, just like the final sprint of a product launch or a big client presentation at New Friend.
Design projects have their own “final mile.” Whether it’s launching a project, refining the last details, or presenting work to a client, the energy you bring to the finish matters. A strong close transforms effort into impact, turning all those hours into something meaningful.
Design and Discipline: The Underrated Power Couple
People love to romanticize creativity as spontaneous genius, but honestly? It’s about discipline. The best ideas don’t come from waiting; they come from working, refining, and showing up even when you’d rather do anything else.
Training for the Austin half marathon reinforced what I’ve learned while building New Friend: consistency beats perfection every time. Whether I’m hitting the pavement or tackling a big creative challenge, progress is made one step at a time.
