2 Ways To Think Like An Olympian
With the Olympics in full swing both in South Korea and at our own dojo in Abingdon, I wanted to share this post about creating a mindset that will ensure you get the results you want. Here is Martin Rooney in his own words...
I have a confession to make…I am an Olympic Addict!
This Monday morning I am more tired than usual and watching the Pyeongchang Games last night is to blame. Over the years, I have preached to you about the importance of the “8-hours-of-sleep-a-night” rule. Aside from having a newborn or an emergency in your home, I rarely defend any other excuse to miss the appropriate amount of sleep. The “addiction” I mentioned above, however, compels me to accept the Olympic Games as one additional excuse. I justify this because the Olympic athletes, their families and their countries have sacrificed so much to get a brief moment to show you the world is a better place. If you have to miss an hour of sleep to become more inspired by watching someone reach an lifelong dream, so be it. The least you can do is honor them with your attention for a few weeks every four years. Right?
I was reminded again the athletes at these Olympics are actually powerful teachers. I watched these men and women like an eager student waiting for lesson I could apply to other parts of my life. Yesterday, the “teachers” did not disappoint. A few Sunday performances in particular taught me about both the power of the human body and the tenacity of the human spirit.
There were moments that demonstrated an athlete can either be his or her own greatest advocate or biggest enemy. Last night there were examples of performances where athletes exceeded their wildest expectations and also performances where some made uncharacteristic errors that cost them gold. As I thought about the difference between these two scenarios, I discovered two subtle lessons about self control that can help you to bring home the gold in whatever you pursue:
1. Get Excited About The Things You Cannot Do
Did you see the “Miracle on Snow?” In the new 30km Skiathlon event, Simen Hegstad Krueger of Norway crashed at the very start of the race and even broke one of his ski poles. Because of the fall and being tangled up with other athletes, he was completely in last place for a good portion of the race. But, in Olympic fashion, he did not give up. When others thought he was out of the race, he kept chipping away until with less than 5km left, he took the lead and went on to win gold.
The lesson? Every time you try to get somewhere new, you will find another ceiling of incompetence to break through. This is not a disheartening statement, it is a principle of life. You may have thought “incompetency” was a negative word, but discovering your limitations is the most important thing you can do to make positive progress. The way to seeing you are making improvement is by finding things you cannot do. Simon and other athletes of Pyeongchang demonstrate when you come upon a roadblock, you should not see it as a stopping point, but an obstacle that can, must and will be overcome to reach a higher level.
When most people experience a new challenge, most unfortunately decide to make it a permanent stopping point. Right when people are about to give up could be when the big progress is right about to happen. Did you stop trying to learn to walk or ride a bike after falling a few times? Can you imagine if Thomas Edison stopped one attempt shy in making the lightbulb? What if Bill Gates decided that programming as a high school student was just too tough? What if Simen decided it was too late for gold?
If you are stuck on a big challenge that you think you cannot rise above, do what Simen did: Go Harder!
2. Change The Little Voice In Your Head
During the Team Figure Skating event, Olympians Mirai Nagasu and Adam Rippon came through with powerful performances that helped the U.S. team bring home the bronze medal. Their routines didn’t just show off their skating ability (Nagasu was the first female American to ever land a triple axel), but their ability not to give up. When they were interviewed, both mentioned how they did not make the last Olympics and although the voices in their heads told them to quit, they did not listen.
The lesson? Before an Olympian can defeat his or her competition, they must first conquer themselves. This begins with the little voice in your head. So what is the “little voice?” Some may call it the mind, others label it the train of thought. In any case, this mental phenomenon had a tremendous impact at the Olympics last night. But the voice and whether you decide to listen to it or not can also determine your destiny.
Does your little voice say positive or negative things to you? Are you your own greatest supporter or biggest enemy? Does that little voice constantly tell you “You can” or “You can’t?” What does it say when you look in the mirror? What about when you think about taking on a new task or goal? If the voice is negative, just like in the case of Mirai and Adam it is either time to stop listening or change over to another voice!
Both lessons are about coaching yourself.
I hope you apply these two important lessons and keep watching the Pyeongchang Games. Use them wisely and someday you will celebrate on your own medal stand by achieving something you thought was not previously attainable. And if you miss a little sleep to see another historic performance that takes you to another level, I will let it slide this once…
Go World,
Martin