Compliance is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Running is my main form of exercise, especially now during the winter, when I do everything I can to be outside and active. So it’s only natural that I would apply the lessons I’ve learned to my work. In fact, running is for me a sort of spiritual activity. I find that I do some of my best thinking on the road.

I therefore humbly offer the following pearls of wisdom, gleaned from running but truly applicable to compliance, (and useful for runners and non-runners alike):

1. Compliance is a marathon, not a sprint. This may sound like a trite cliché. But all too often I have seen frantic rushes to show compliance progress, when the big wins really come through gradual, consistent efforts. Whether you are building a program from scratch or improving an existing one, slow and steady gets the job done. Otherwise, you run the risk of overwhelming yourself and everybody else.

2. A runner wins a race many times before they ever actually cross the finish line, let alone win the race. First, they win when they decide to race at all. Second, when they commit to that decision by making a training plan. Third, when they implement their plan. Fourth, when they see their plan through to completion. Fifth, when they lace up their running shoes and toe the starting line. And sixth, only lastly, when they actually win the race. Because winning resulted mostly from their courage, discipline and preparation before the race. It was those things that brought out their physical capability and confidence, not any magic generated during the race itself. Yes, there sometimes is magic on the course (ever hear of the “runner’s high”?). But it’s mostly discipline and planning that wins races.

3. As with so many things, getting started is the hardest part. But once you do start moving, your perspective changes. You find that you need only put one foot in front of the other to keep going and make progress. You don’t have to finish anything, and you certainly don’t have to completely predict the outcome. Just put one foot in front of the other.

4. Though I have struggled to get out of the door many times, I have never regretted going for a run. Whether it’s early on a cold, dark morning or on a weekend when I’d rather sleep in, I know that I will feel better, learn, be stronger, and run faster, after the workout. Just knowing that helps me get started.

5. Success comes from willpower, discipline and consistency. Yes, magic, gifts, talent, etc. all have their place. But these only make success more likely. They don’t create it all by themselves.

So many running lessons apply to compliance. The most important thing, in both, is to remember, right now you just have to get started, not more. That means, wherever you are today, starting a program from scratch, or building on previous work, you just need to take a first step to make progress. If you do this, great things will come. On the other hand, if you don’t then you will never know what you might have achieved if you had only tried. So will today be the day?

Reid Pearlman, JD, CCEP is Principal/Consultant with True Compliance Consulting, LLC. He assists all types of healthcare entities with compliance program assessment, development and administration. He welcomes questions and comments at Reid@MyComplianceOfficer.net.