I was at mile 222 of a 240-mile trail race in Moab, Utah. I had run through the desert heat, canyons under the moon, and two mountain ranges in a monumental and beautiful route worthy of a Lord of the Rings movie. Only 18 miles left — but in that final stretch, the pain was all-consuming and defeat started to creep into my mind.

Instinctively, my teammate and pacer, Tay, doing the thankless job of keeping me moving those last miles, started reciting encouraging texts she had received over the past 90 hours from people following my progress online. In that moment, she knew exactly what I needed: No fake positivity, just words to boost my spirits and shift my focus off the pain. Then water, salt, and forward movement until we reached the finish line.

Natalya Wallin and her teammate descend a desert cliff in the distance
Completing my last desert miles with my teammate and pacer, Tay

Surround Yourself With People Who Will Show Up

Whatever your high, hard goal in life or in career, find teammates who understand what it will take. If you are attempting something hard enough, you will hit a wall. Surround yourself with people who are aligned and committed to showing up in those moments.

Natalya Wallin stands side-by-side with two other women wearing ultramarathon gear at the finish line of the Moab 240
Celebrating at the finish line

For 10 months I had been mentally and physically training for that race. We prepared for scenarios we could anticipate — dehydration, injury, sleep deprivation, hallucinations — and then acknowledged there would be unknowns to navigate in the moment. When I felt I hit my limit at mile 222, my teammate was not caught off guard — she met me exactly where I was, stepped up, and got me home.

One of the most valuable aspects of Fuqua’s MBA program is having access to a diverse group of classmates with unique backgrounds. Find the people in your Fuqua cohort or team who you align with, who get it. Lean into those relationships and be ready to ask for advice, offer support, or dive in and build something together.

The red rocks of the Moab desert
Views of the red rocks on the course

Be Practical and Prepare for the Journey

Preparation and practice can be the difference between success and failure, both personally and professionally. I practiced many basic tactics with my coach and race crew before we got out there. Here are a few:

  • Know your WHY & communicate it to your team: Sounds cliché, but this matters if you are pushing your limits. Close teammates should know what motivates you, your weak points, and how to keep you moving when next steps feel impossible.
  • Prepare for foreseen challenges and risks: This may seem obvious, but it is freeing to work through negative scenarios and address known risks of failure up front.
  • Practice zooming in and zooming out: Sometimes when we are bogged down or stuck on a problem we need to step back and remember the big picture to refuel. Conversely, there are moments to intensely focus on a key detail so we can problem-solve. Working with a team that can dial attention in and out is powerful.
  • Use chunking: Our brains can’t perpetually handle goals like running 240 miles or building a company over a decade. But we can mentally handle the idea of 10 miles (repeat 24 times) and small goals one week, month or quarter at a time.

At the end of the day, this 240-mile experience confirmed how important it is to prepare with your team for the hard times in advance. Facing the unknown and going after a long-term goal, there is no substitute for being fully aligned, fully committed, and ready to show up for each other. Surround yourself with the right crew, get after it, and find your finish line.

a view of the moon from the Moab desert
Running under the moon