It was announced today that Sir Roger Bannister, the first person to achieve the impossible and run a mile in under four minutes, has died. His time of three minutes 59.4 seconds, set on 6th May 1954, stood as a record for just 46 days but he’d claimed his place in history.

Why is this relevant?

Beyond the obvious achievement, Sir Roger Bannister exemplifies someone who looked at a supposedly impossible feat from a different perspective, and proved it could be done.

American Wes Santee and Australia’s John Landy were also working towards the same barrier, so Bannister wan’t alone in his belief that it could be done. He was, however, the first to get there, and to prove it. He used his own medical training to put together his training schedule, operating outside of the ‘normal’ regime of the time.

Paula Radcliffe is another athlete who pushed the boundaries of her sport, and frequently refused to predict finish times for her races, believing that to do so would limit her potential in her own mind.

Very often, as business owners we effectively limit ourselves based on what we perceive to be ‘normal’ within our industries. We look at our competition or the accepted behaviours and operate within those.

• Are there things that you would love to change in your business but are sticking with because you are giving in to those restraints?
• Have you assumed that your customers wouldn’t like the changes you could make?
• Have you actually asked them?

Sir Roger Bannister broke a huge barrier when he went under the four minute mark for the mile all those years ago. Can you take your business through a similar barrier over the coming months?

As ever, if we can help in any way, do please get in touch!

BBC News – http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/43273249