Entrepreneurship programs teach future entrepreneurs essential business and leadership skills. The number of available (in many cases even free) online courses, programs and specializations that cover important disciplines like finance, accounting, management, and entrepreneurial skills has grown in the recent years.

This is all fantastic! Undoubtedly, knowledge is power. It gives you a competitive edge and ability to make better-informed decisions. But is that enough to thrive in the chaotic, challenging and intimidating startup world?

Dry knowledge is not enough. The smartest people in the world aren’t necessarily the most successful and wealthy individuals. The majority of successful entrepreneurs possess numerous personality traits and skills that help them run their companies despite all setbacks and challenges.

Persistence, determination, grit, self-discipline, and focus – these are the life skills that can’t be learned in the classroom. They can’t be learned from books either. The only way to develop these skills is to experience the process, to feel the change through action, to do something that you’ve never done before.

According to business and grit teacher Andrew Johnston, the best business education is not received in the classroom. The best lessons are learned in the course of action. He has discovered that a very effective approach to help students discover their own strength and their ability to keep their focus on the main goal is through training for a marathon.

Why a marathon?

Running a marathon isn’t a joke. It requires long months of preparation, which are the perfect way to teach all these necessary life skills like persistence, patience, self-discipline, focus.

Training for a marathon builds character. It challenges you on so many levels. It proves that preparation and persistence increase the chances of success. It proves that one bad day doesn’t mean that the whole endeavor is doomed. It is a great way to get to know yourself better – to understand better your weaknesses and your strengths. And all of this will make you a better entrepreneur.

Are you ready to train for a marathon?