Competition
Kiran Simhadri
Sr. Director Of Technology at Elevance Health & Faculty at Stanford University
Happy Friday!
Welcome to this edition of “Competition” (#236).
As the popular saying goes, we live in a competitive world where everyone experiences competition at every step of their lives. It starts right from kindergarten to college, then again from landing your first job to climbing up the corporate ladder. However, the question we should ask ourselves is how well we equip ourselves to handle the anxiety, stress, and pressures in pursuing our life in such a competitive landscape.
Well, the Olympics are a pinnacle of competition when it comes to sports. More than 10,000 athletes from about 184 countries have just wrapped up the XXXIII Summer Olympics in Paris. Winning an Olympic medal is an incredible achievement, and something athletes train their entire lives for, but it's not the only important thing about these games. I would like to highlight a few lessons we all can learn from them in managing ourselves when we are facing a competition in our lives. Are you ready to play the “GAME”?
Groundwork:?Not a single athlete made it to the Olympic team representing their country by chance. You can pick any one of these 10,000 athletes and research their journey to selection. The basic ingredient in every story showcases countless years of preparation, sustained effort, discipline, and dedication to qualify and constantly improve.?
Attitude:?Of the 329 medal events across 32 sports over the 19 days of competition, one glaring observation we can all glean is the astounding sportsmanship and attitude displayed by the athletes. Everyone is in it to win it, but the grace with which they competed and cheered each other on can teach us a lot about how to manage our relationships and attitudes towards our competitors. Consider, for example, Brazil's Tamires Aroujo Frossard carrying her opponent Albertina Kassoma of Angola off the court when she was injured during a tense match, or Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles celebrating their opponent Andrade on her first Olympic gold win by bowing down.?
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Mindset: Imagine competing against athletes like Simone Biles, a legendary gymnast with 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals to her credit, or Yui Sasaki, a Japanese wrestler who won a gold medal in the previous Olympics without conceding a single point to her opponents. How can you motivate yourself to not give up? It’s all in the mindset with which you approach the competition. Rebeca Andrade, an equally talented gymnast, demonstrated this by winning gold, beating Simone, and Vinesh Phogat, an underdog wrestler, by defeating Yui in quarter finals.
Endurance: Finally, nothing signifies endurance better than these athletes' journeys to and through the Olympics. Endurance involves physical stamina, of course, but there's more to it - psychological strength is just as vital. These athletes' ability to bounce back from failures and disappointments, withstanding pressure, continually adapting, and outlasting hardships, exemplify the essence of endurance we ought to incorporate in life.
In conclusion, let's remember this powerful quote by?Babe Ruth, "It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up." This is as true in our personal and professional lives as it is in the athletic world.
?Stay safe, Stay healthy and Stay blessed.?Thank you and have a great weekend.
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Senior content creator in developer platforms for healthcare
7 个月In 1984 I was a press officer at the LA Olympics and was down on the track the entire 2 weeks, so I had a lot of interaction with the athletes. What I found most significant is that the majority *knew* they would never win a medal. They were there for the thrill of competition and to push themselves beyond their known limits. Only one competitor in 10 (correction: 1 in 100!) wins a medal; so if that is your only objective, you are almost certain to be disappointed. Those who were there for the love of the sport were all winners, regardless of whether they got a medal.
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7 个月Absolutely, the competitive nature of life is undeniable, and it’s a journey full of challenges. What’s crucial is how we manage the stress and maintain our mental well-being while navigating these pressures. Building resilience and finding healthy coping strategies can make a big difference. For me, it’s all about focusing on personal growth and learning from each experience rather than just the competition itself. How do you handle the pressure of competition? I'd love to hear what techniques or practices others use to stay grounded and motivated in the face of challenges. Sharing insights can be a powerful way to support each other!