In a world that celebrates speed, quick wins, and overnight success stories, it’s easy to forget that the most enduring careers are rarely built in a sprint. Perdasille Mesina, Certified Management Accountant, has navigated more than three decades in finance, operations, and executive leadership—and she credits her longevity to a simple mindset: treat your career like a marathon, not a dash to the finish line.
“The race is not to the swift but for those who kept on running,” Mesina tells Financial Adviser PH.
For her, success isn’t about being the most talented or the fastest to climb the ladder. It’s about persistence, endurance, and the ability to keep going when things get tough.
Why careers aren’t sprints
Mesina explains that the working world is full of unexpected turns—economic downturns, industry disruptions, company restructurings. Talent and skill matter, but they’re not enough to guarantee a long, successful career.
“It suggests that success in life (or any endeavor) isn’t guaranteed to those who are the fastest, most talented, or most privileged,” she says. “Instead, it’s about those who keep going, even when things get tough.”
Her career is living proof. She’s shifted industries, taken on diverse roles, and worked across local, regional, and global positions, each time adapting to new expectations and environments.
Multiple career shifts, one consistent mindset
Mesina’s career has included stints in audit and business advisory, project management, finance operations leadership, service level management, change management, and even serving as CFO and COO.
“In my 3 decades of working, I made several career shifts,” she recalls. “I started in Audit & Business Advisory, then became a Project Manager before becoming a Finance Operations Head. Afterwards I shifted to Service Level Management, Change Management & Continuous Improvement roles and progressed to being a CFO then later on a COO.”
With each transition came challenges—new industries to understand, new teams to lead, and unfamiliar systems to master. Her strategy was always the same: stay in the race, learn what she needed to learn, and adapt.
The role of resilience
Mesina sees resilience as the bridge between ambition and achievement. It’s what allows professionals to recover from setbacks, stay focused during slow periods, and continue making progress when the pace feels grueling.
She also believes resilience is closely tied to a growth mindset—the willingness to embrace challenges, seek feedback, and turn obstacles into learning opportunities.
The danger of burnout in a “speed culture”
Today’s workplace often rewards short bursts of high performance, but Mesina warns that without pacing yourself, burnout becomes inevitable.
“Pace yourself for a marathon, not a sprint,” she advises.
This doesn’t mean holding back effort—it means working with sustainability in mind, taking care of both your career and your well-being so you can keep going for the long haul.
Persistence as a competitive advantage
In her view, persistence is often underestimated. While many professionals chase rapid promotions, she believes those who can consistently deliver over time earn a different kind of credibility—one that comes from trust, reliability, and proven results.
This credibility, she adds, is what positions you for leadership roles and allows you to handle greater responsibilities when they come.
The bigger picture
Mesina’s marathon mindset isn’t about resisting change or slowing down—it’s about building a career that can withstand change without breaking stride.
Her advice to professionals is straightforward:
Keep moving forward, even when progress feels slow.
Treat challenges as part of the course, not as signs to stop.
Remember that the long game rewards those who endure.
“The race is not to the swift,” she says again, “but for those who kept on running.”
In an era obsessed with quick wins, Mesina’s philosophy is a reminder that the most remarkable careers aren’t built in a rush—they’re built step by step, mile by mile, over the course of a lifetime.
