Finance Mastery

Podcast Version
(with NotebookLM AI)

Train Like a Triathlete, Think Like a CFO

Triathlon training isn’t just about crossing the finish line. It’s about mastering patience, resilience, and smart decision-making over time. Ironically, those same principles form the foundation of great financial leadership. From managing risk and navigating downturns to understanding your numbers with precision, athletes in training are unknowingly shaping themselves into CFOs in the making.

Here’s how training for triathlons can help you become a master of finance—whether you're managing personal wealth, your company’s budget, or long-term investor expectations.

1. Risk Management – Every Effort Has a Price

In triathlon, going too hard in one discipline can cost you in the next. It’s about knowing when to push and when to build reserves. For example, a savvy athlete studies wind direction and coasts with a tailwind, saving energy for when things inevitably get tough. The goal isn’t to dominate early, it’s to finish strong when others are fading.

In finance, the same logic applies. Overleveraging or overcommitting resources when the economy is booming can leave you exposed when the environment shifts. The best CFOs are patient during good times and courageous during downturns. They know that the best investments often come when the competition is on its knees.

2. Long-Term Planning – From Base Training to Balance Sheets

You can’t prepare for a full-distance triathlon in four weeks and no solid financial strategy is built on short-term wins. Endurance athletes think in training blocks: base, build, peak, taper. They know when to build organically and when to invest in upgrades that truly matter. Buying a new bike, shoes, or other expensive race gear does not make a lot of sense if you are not first performing at your best physical capabilites. Buying a 5000 EUR aero-triathlon bike, does not  add value if you can't even hit 25kmh first.

Finance leaders benefit from this same mindset. Map out your fiscal year with long-term vision, monitor organic growth, and know when strategic acquisitions can elevate your platform. Whether it’s a new market, technology, or partnership—timing, readiness, and financial health determines if you’re ready to scale.

3. Diversification Is Resilience

Triathlon’s structure - swim, bike, run - naturally builds a diversified, resilient athlete. If one discipline falters, the others carry the load. Triathletes train their weakest sport the most, knowing that total performance matters more than a flashy split.

In finance, diversification across asset classes, markets, and product lines does the same. You might be dominant in one area now, but overdependence creates fragility. Any disruption - political, economic, social, or technological (PEST) - can shake that foundation. Strong, stable companies build resilience through balance.

4. Crisis Response – Stay Calm, Stay the Course

A flat tire at km 60. A bonk at km 120. Triathletes expect the unexpected and train mental toughness for it. As Sun Tzu wrote, “No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.” The athlete’s secret? They stay calm, adapt quickly, and protect their mental bandwidth.

The same goes for finance. Market crashes, competitor surprises, or client losses are part of the game. Yet too often, businesses scramble without a plan. Executives who train like triathletes visualize setbacks in advance, create contingency plans, and rehearse recovery so the organization stays steady, no matter the chaos.

5. Metrics that Matter – Predict the Outcome

Speed and pace are outputs. The real work happens in the inputs: heart rate, watts, cadence, VO2 max. Triathletes focus on these months before race day. They also optimize their schedules, recovery, gear, and technique to give those numbers meaning.

In finance, revenue and profit are outputs. A smart CFO goes deeper: development metrics, operational efficiency, customer acquisition costs, innovation velocity, are causal and correlated metrics in the Balanced Scorecard (Kaplan & Norton). These are the building blocks of a predictive finance engine. Track them early, understand their impact, and fine-tune for the result, just like an athlete.

Conclusion

Mastering finance like a triathlete means thinking ahead, training for resilience, and managing wisely over time. The result? A sharper, more strategic financial mindset, ready to lead in work and in life.

Don’t forget: It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

BONUS TIPS COACH GLENN:

• Create a “race plan” for your next fiscal year—but also map out what could go wrong and build backup plans.
• Focus on the leading indicators in your Balanced Scorecard, not just the financial outputs. Strengthen and “train” what comes before the money.
• When the business is booming, build a reserve. The next market dip will come – guaranteed - and those with cash on hand will have the pick of the field for M&A and growth.

Share this blog/newsletter with your friends, family, and colleagues who are also pursuing a sportier and healthier lifestyle!