Have you ever struggled with losing those last ten, twenty or even fifty pounds? If you’re like most Americans, the constant battle to lose weight is a full-time job!

Here’s my own personal “weight” ordeal.  I was always naturally thin and one of those people who never had to worry about my weight, until last November.

Then I had my appendix out. I gained ten pounds instantly and diet and exercise didn’t help a bit. (And believe me, turning forty wasn’t exactly making things any easier.)

So, over the past several months, it’s been a constant battle between me and those stubborn, little ten pounds. Unfortunately, it seems like the pounds are here to stay.

But, I’m the first to admit that I have plenty of excuses as to why I can’t lose weight. I’m too busy with work, I don’t have time to make a healthy lunch or I’m just too tired.

In my constant battle to lose weight, I’ve noticed that there are more similarities between marketing a business and losing weight than I could have ever imagined.

Here are a few lessons I’ve learned in the past several months:

1. It won’t happen overnight.

Whether it’s losing those last fifteen pounds or moving your small business into the six-figure mark, there’s no such thing as “get rich quick” (or “get thin quick”). It’s going to take effort.

Decide right now that you are not going to expect a miracle. You are simply going to work hard and do whatever it takes to succeed.

2. It’s all about forming good habits.

If you want to lose weight then you have to form healthy habits because there’s certainly no magic cure. At the end of the day, it’s all about exercising and refraining from eating three extra brownies for dessert.

It’s the same with marketing. If you want to succeed, then you have to write that blog post (even when you’re not in the mood), write a press release (even if you have a headache) and put together your sales letter (even if your favorite TV show is on).

3. Think long-term.

Patience, perseverance and tenacity are the name of the game. When it comes to dieting, research suggests that slow and steady weight loss (no more than two pounds a week), helps individuals keep their weight off long-term.

It’s the same with marketing. If you make a point to engage in some form of marketing every single day (even if it’s just a quick thirty minutes), the possibility of success greatly increases. Your marketing motto should be “slow, steady and always moving forward.”

So, at the end of the day, both the expansion of our small business and the reduction of our waist size is up to us. We need to decide that we are going to attack and conquer by understanding that nothing happens overnight, forming good habits and thinking long-term success.