Can Too, managed by Annie Crawford, is a program that trains mainly beginners to run an endurance event or ocean swim. In return for the professional coaching and organised training program, Can Tooers raise funds for Cure Cancer Australia. This article explores Annie’s experience with a business mentor and outlines how a mentor helped her acquire the skills and confidence to support her cause.
It would be great if I could combine my passion for fitness and health with an opportunity to give back in some small way.
When I moved back to Australia after 8 and half years overseas, I realised that rather than get another paid job, it was my turn to give back to the community in a non-paid way. My husband Simon and I had been very successful in a business we were involved in the States and I realised what a lucky and privileged life I had. I thought, it would be great if I could combine my passion for fitness and health with an opportunity to give back in some small way. I remembered my marathon-training program. I had such a great experience with this and knew there was no similar program in Australia.
I loved running the marathon for a cause.
When I was living in the States several years ago, I ran a marathon with a similar program to Can Too. I loved running a marathon for the first time, but more than that, I loved running for something bigger than myself. I loved running the marathon for a cause and because my own father had died of cancer at 51 years of age, I wanted the cause to be cancer related.
A mentor can help you work out a plan to move forward.
I lacked the self confidence to deal with some of the tough issues that arise in business. Often, there is politics going on when you don’t actually want it. It is good to have someone to bounce ideas off and get reassurance that you are dealing with some issue in the most appropriate way. A mentor can bring a different perspective and lots of experience to help you get your own thoughts in order.
Mentoring gives you support in unexpected places.
I think it is really important to have a mentor that you can laugh with and who makes you laugh. Humour is a great way to deal with issues. A mentor who you can laugh with is worth their weight in gold. Mentoring can help put things in perspective. Mentoring can give you confidence. Mentoring enables you to clear the air. Mentoring gives you support in unexpected places. A mentor can play a role as a sounding board. A good mentor is someone you can trust and who you can be totally honest with so you can share nasty thoughts without having them go any further!!!
Behind every good woman is a good mentor.
Being part of something positive that changes lives, mine included, I have learned build the confidence to face fears and over come things I never imagined I could. I love sharing that vision with others too. I love being on the high that comes from positivity.
About Can Too
Can Too, managed by Annie Crawford, is a program that trains mainly beginners to run an endurance event or ocean swim. We get people off the couch and into exercise for the first time in many years or maybe ever. We train people of all ages from 18 – 73, all shapes all sizes, and some who are already doing some exercise, but have had a dream to do more. In return for the professional coaching and organised training program, our Can Tooers raise funds for Cure Cancer Australia. We bring a bunch of people together, create a team and enable them together, to achieve two goals – goals they may not have thought achievable – to walk/ run 4k, run 10k, a half marathon, a marathon or swim in an ocean swim for the very first time and raise money for cancer research. People pledge to raise a minimum of between $800 and $2500 depending on the event they are training for. In the process of that, people undergo a personal transformation and learn about themselves. I always say a Can Too journey is like life – there are highs and lows in the journey of life and there are highs and lows in a Can Too journey. You will have a great run or you can have a really shit run, but it is how you deal with it that counts. You will be the one who throws in the towel or you will be the one who rises to the occasion and digs deep and thinks about the bigger picture.
