You ever heard the phrase, “Stay in your lane”?

Well, imagine running a 10K race, feeling strong, keeping pace… and then suddenly, a marshal points you down a different road. They’re wearing the high vis jacket and directing with an air of authority so you trust them, follow the sign, and keep going… Only to realise 2.5km later that you’ve been sent the wrong way. That’s exactly what happened in Glasgow last week. A woman, pretending to be a race marshal, sent a bunch of runners off course. Instead of hitting their targets, they ended up on an unexpected detour – legs burning, time wasted, and quite rightly, a little pissed off too.

Now, I’ve never come across this happening before in a running race, but I see it happen all the time in the business world. As business owners, we all set off on our own little marathons. We start off strong, but somewhere along the way, it’s easy to get sent off course. There’s always a new route, a flashy shortcut, or some “expert” telling you to pivot. Especially with AI and new innovations flying at us every day. One minute, you’re set on your path, and the next, you’re chasing the latest tech trend, new strategy, or shiny object – only to realise you’ve veered miles off course. We’ve all been there. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. But it’s not helpful if you’re trying to achieve great things. 

After almost 30 years here at Millennium Cargo, I can tell you one thing for sure… Business is definitely a marathon, not a sprint – and if you change direction mid-race you might never get where you want to go. 

So what’s the answer? Get crystal clear on your destination. Know your route. And don’t let distractions – no matter how convincing they seem – send you running in the wrong direction.

Have you got any “wrong direction” stories? I’d love to hear them…