Ben Stocken, a leadership coach and strategist who helps CEOs rapidly develop leaders within their businesses to increase enterprise value, recently shared a personal achievement that serves as a profound metaphor for personal and professional growth. On a Sunday night, under the floodlights, Ben Stocken became an Ironman. What makes this achievement extraordinary is that just three months earlier, Ben Stocken couldn’t even swim 100 meters.
Ben Stocken’s journey to becoming an Ironman didn’t happen overnight. It took nine months of rigorous training, waking up at 4:00 AM every day before work and family time. This was a journey of commitment, perseverance, and, as Ben Stocken describes it, “delaying failure.” The concept of delaying failure is particularly relevant to his work with CEOs and leaders. Whether in leadership or athletic feats, Ben Stocken understands that success is not the absence of failure but the ability to delay it long enough to achieve your goals.
Ben Stocken’s Ironman journey is not just a testament to physical endurance but a powerful lesson in mental strength and discipline. His achievement serves as a reminder that we are all capable of far more than we give ourselves credit for. By setting audacious goals and committing to them, even when the path seems insurmountable, we can achieve the seemingly impossible. Ben Stocken’s message is clear: what’s worse than failing is not trying at all.
Ben Stocken shares his journey not to boast but to inspire others to set outrageous goals and work toward them. His advice is straightforward and actionable, starting with setting a goal that surpasses your expectations. Ben Stocken firmly believes that if you don’t set your sights high enough, you’re not pushing yourself to discover your true potential. For him, the Ironman was a challenge that seemed beyond reach, but that’s exactly why it was worth pursuing.
One of the most impactful pieces of advice Ben Stocken offers is the importance of sharing your goal publicly. By announcing your intentions, you hold yourself accountable. Ben Stocken shared his goal with his friends, family, colleagues, and even his team at West Peak. This public declaration not only motivated him to stay committed but also built a support network that helped him through the toughest moments of his training. Whether in business or in personal challenges, Ben Stocken understands that the people around you play a crucial role in your success.
Building a support network is the next critical step in Ben Stocken’s approach to achieving extraordinary goals. Whether it’s your colleagues, family, or friends, surrounding yourself with people who believe in your vision can make all the difference. During his Ironman journey, Ben Stocken didn’t just train alone; he completed the challenge alongside four teammates from West Peak. Having a team to lean on during moments of doubt and fatigue can be the difference between giving up and pushing forward.
For Ben Stocken, the most essential part of achieving any goal is the daily action you take toward it. He stresses the importance of starting immediately and doing something every day, no matter how small. Ben Stocken’s early morning training sessions are a perfect example of this discipline. Even when the days were long, and fatigue set in, he made it a point to take action daily. It’s this consistency that eventually leads to success.
There were undoubtedly tough days throughout Ben Stocken’s Ironman training. There were moments when the goal seemed too far away, and the effort felt overwhelming. But in those moments, Ben Stocken learned the value of “just doing one more thing.” This mindset kept him moving forward when it would have been easier to quit. Ben Stocken’s ability to break down his larger goal into small, manageable tasks allowed him to maintain momentum and avoid being paralyzed by the enormity of the challenge ahead.
In his professional life, Ben Stocken uses the same principles of goal-setting, public accountability, and daily action to help CEOs develop leaders within their organizations. By teaching these leaders to embrace audacious goals and follow a disciplined path to achieve them, Ben Stocken is helping businesses grow their enterprise value. Just as he proved in his Ironman journey, the key to success lies in the willingness to set bold goals and the discipline to work toward them every single day.
Ben Stocken’s Ironman experience is more than just a personal achievement; it’s a powerful metaphor for how we can approach challenges in both life and business. His advice is simple yet profound: set goals that exceed your expectations, build a strong support network, take daily action, and when things get tough, push through by doing just one more thing. By following these steps, Ben Stocken believes that anyone can achieve their goals, no matter how outrageous they may seem.
Ben Stocken’s message is clear: what’s worse than failing is not trying at all. Whether in the boardroom or on the racecourse, Ben Stocken has proven that with the right mindset, discipline, and support, we can achieve the impossible. His journey from struggling to swim 100 meters to becoming an Ironman serves as an inspiration to anyone looking to push beyond their limits and achieve greatness.
