Around this time 2 years ago I ran a half marathon. Prior to the race I had never run more than seven miles continuously, ever, and to be honest I don’t think I’ve run that much since.

 

What got me through that race? Not music (I ran without headphones), not a friend (I ran alone), not the terrain (I ran in Baltimore, which is actually pretty hilly); what got me through was the concept I firmly believe in: momentum. Everyone else was running, so I was running too. It was actually an invigorating feeling —  a feeling that I hadn’t felt again until about a month ago, when I started working at TrueLoyal.

 

Working within a startup is a lot. It’s a lot of work, a lot of responsibilities, a lot of freedom, and to be honest, a lot of fun. But one of the things I enjoy most about coming into work every day is the fact that I am constantly inspired to do my best work by seeing all the kick-ass work being done around me. At first, I’m not going to lie, it was a little intimidating; I was one of the most recent hires and my first week was filled with on-boarding and a retreat. It was a crash course into all things TrueLoyal and it was the momentum that kept me pushing forward.

 

Momentum can be a funny thing, because once you start, you just keep going. However, in the startup life it can be hard to find the balance of pushing too hard and avoiding getting burnt out from the working style and structure. What I’ve found is, although the parameters aren’t as well defined as they are in a race (i.e., run 13 miles and you’re done), the communal gratification of starting something as a team and crossing the finish line together, makes the entire process worth it.