5 Leadership Principles of Olympic Athletes

“Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. It’s our goal in life, to find it and keep it roaring !!! – Mary Lou Retton, gold medalist, Gymnastics

 

Leadership Principles Topics: Vision, Persistence, Poise under Pressure, Mentors, Terrific Team-mates.

 

The 2018 South Korean Olympics are almost complete and the USA already has a host of triumphs from the winter games. [We’re ahead of the Russians. LoL] The Olympics inspire everyone, but the competitors have more that just inspiring back-stories and physical feats to offer us — they have important business parallels to impart. Here are five (5) things every entrepreneur can learn about the basics of becoming a Champion (whether or not you win a Metal) from the 2018 winter Olympians. Well the top medalist should get a new Kia !!! LoL Wiz4biz

1. Have a BiG vision. You can’t get to your metaphorical arena without first having a vision that arriving in an Olympic stadium is possible. What separates someone who just skis from someone who skis the Olympic downhill course? To start, a BiG Vision. You need an final goal so big that it inspires you to go for it !!! You have to want to stand on the Podium of Success so much, that you pursue your passion with all your energy, no matter where it takes you. To get through the daily routine of being an entrepreneur, to get to your own “there,” you absolutely need to have a clear, BiG Vision !!!
2. Power Persistence. Stick with it through the falls & failures. The Olympians are literally and figuratively falling down all the time, then getting back up and trying again. Do you see figure skaters stay on the ice & cry after a fall? Of course not. They pop back up and get on with the routine so quickly you almost wonder if you really saw them hit the Ice. Think of the thousands & thousands of falls they endured to get to this Olympic event to prove their talent. Entrepreneurs must turn their falls into tenacious triumphs, just like Olympians do. Some common Entrepreneur sayings are: “Fail Fast, Fail Often”, “Push the Boundaries, Fail, Learn, Fail Less”, “Fail Forward, because you know you are making Progress”
3. Poise under Pressure. Think your pitch meeting is hard? Olympians train their entire lives, for an event that will grant them only a matter of minutes to shine. Talk about the ultimate Pitch session. They too are pitching an important panel of skilled individuals – who will judge their performance & poise in those brief few moments and rate them accordingly. They’ll also do this in front of a live audience of thousands while being televised to the entire World. Do they choke up? Rarely.

Train for Pressure. Train to be your best. Then when you arrive at your next meeting, you’ll remember your training. Poise under Pressure is a skill every Olympian can teach entrepreneurs – which will help both of them to succeed.

4. Mentors. Every time you see an Olympian competing in South Korea, you’ll also see someone else: their Mentor. Olympians call them Coaches; Entrepreneurs are more likely to refer to them as mentors. Whatever name you call them, these Coaches/Mentors are essential to perform at an Olympian level.

What is a Mentor? They’ve been there before you. Mentors know the best way. They can help you accelerate your own performance by teaching you from their mistakes & successes.

Coaches push their athletes during training and cheer for them during the moment of their performance. Mentors will do the same for you and push you to the highest limits of your own personal capability. These athletes – in return – work hard, listen to the advice offered and push themselves to be the star their Coaches see in them. You can do the same. Learn from the Olympic athletes and get yourself a Mentor/Coach. Your performance will make the investment well worth it.

5. Terrific Team-mates. There are many incredible teams competing in South Korea right now. Bob-Sledders & Curlers (not hair curlers), Hockey players, Cross-Country Skiing (they should have taken a Tesla), Skating pairs — the list goes on & on. These teams are great because of the cooperation between incredibly talented individuals. The team goes further & faster with the momentum of players offering up their talent and surrendering their self-interest for the vision of the team, encouraging & inspiring each other.

You may be an Individual Performer, but you’re proud to be part of Team USA. The Free-style Skiers are in competition for their own best, but also for the good of the team overall. Each skier has a team of coaches, coordinators, physical therapists & other support staff that make the team goal of the individual’s success their overall mission. Being part of a Team makes you great !!!

As an Entrepreneur, you’ll never achieve the biggest Vision of your passion without an amazing Team. It’s up to you to select, support & sell them on your Vision and maybe even compromise your interests, to get them “on board” for the overall greatest success of your Vision. Become a great Olympian by assembling the best Team possible.

 

Quotes from Winning Olympiads

“I am building a fire, and every day I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match & explode.” —Mia Hamm, gold-medal Soccer player

“I don’t run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet.” —Nadia Comaneci, gold-medal Gymnast

“This ability to conquer oneself is no doubt the most precious of all things sports bestows. —- Olga Korbut 4X gold medalist, Gymnastics

“Don’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the further you get.” —Michael Phelps, gold-medal Swimmer

“To uncover your true potential you must first find your own limits, then have the courage to blow past them.” —Picabo Street, gold-medal Skier

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” — Muhammad Ali, gold medalist Boxing.

“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self discipline, & effort.” — Jesse Owens, 4X gold medalist, Track & Field

“Girls playing sports is not about winning gold medals. It’s about self-esteem, learning to compete + learning how hard you have to work in order to achieve your goals.” — Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 3X gold medalist, Track & Field

“What keeps me going is not winning, but the quest for reaching potential in myself as a coach and my kids as athletes. It’s the pursuit of excellence.” – Ron O’Brien, USA Diving Coach

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” – Wilma Rudolph, 3X gold metalist, Track & Field

Comments: Feel free to make Comments about the Leadership Principles of the Olympic Athletes

from Entrepreneur Zine 2/18 enhanced by Peter, Wiz4biz

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