Creating Expectations of Success
Like many around the world, I find myself drawn into the athletic spectacle showcased at the Olympic games every two years. This summer is no different. As a former swimmer and swim coach, I am particularly enjoying the narratives and performances of the world-class athletes in sprint and distance races in the pool, as well as the lesser known events of various sports. In every case, it is clear that years of exceptionally hard work have put these athletes into a position to compete on the world's stage. This much is obvious.
What may be less conspicuous, however, is the mental and physical preparation that occurs in the moments and hours immediately before competition. By the time the athletes have taken their positions on the starting blocks or within the lines of their field, they're already in the arena. What about before they're in public view? Before they've stepped onto the stage? Surely there is some act, some mental preparation that takes place in that quiet time before they're switched on.
When I was working as a patrol officer, and later as a patrol sergeant, I had a very specific routine that I followed on my work days. Each step carefully considered as it helped me get into a specific mental operating status to fulfill the duties of work.
I left the house at the same minute every day. Living in the city where I worked meant a short commute; only 3.5 minutes. I designed this commute window so that I would arrive at the police department before my shift mates. The empty locker room allowed me to privately engage in the most important part of the mental shift: putting on my duty uniform. This act, more than anything else, allowed me to visualize the role I was stepping into and visualize how my shift would go, as much as one can when working in patrol. A short time for prayer before heading into the briefing room and I was ready. The taking off of the uniform at the end of the shift was equally important to change back into my "off-duty" roles.
In other jobs, I've had the time during a commute to mentally switch over into work mode. This is not unique, as many others do the same, but it is important. Working remotely for the past four years has disrupted this mental preparation. My home office is in the front of the house, where traffic is constant, and I also use the office for personal activities.
Working remotely has meant adjustments to a pre-work routine, but the end game is still the same. When it's time to go, you must be ready. Setting up an environment or situation in advance so that it facilitates success is the primary goal.
As a life-long learner, I'm interested in seeking out and discovering the methods of others when it comes to these things. One of the biggest is visualization. We saw this famously recently when Stephen Nedoroscik was preparing for this pommel horse routine at the Olympics in Paris. The US Navy's Blue Angels use this method extensively as part of their training and preparation. To so intimately study and practice your craft is to put yourself in the best possible position for success. When the intricate and fine movements and actions of your discipline become second-nature, it's no longer a matter of rising to the occasion or putting yourself into a position where you have a chance. No, chance is eliminated. At that point, it's simply a matter of execution; performing what you've successfully executed, on your own, hundreds of times before. Eliminate chance, risk, variance, deviation, unforced errors, and mistakes. Rob O'Neil, part of the US Navy Seal Team that engaged in the raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, talked about how members of that team were so relaxed that they were able to take naps on the helicopter on the way to the operation. That is how world-class athletes, pilots, doctors, and many others are able to achieve great things, especially in the face of great difficulty or when the odds of success are low.
Here's the key takeaway:
That discipline and approach isn't just for them. You can do it too, no matter what you're doing.
Begin by asking yourself honest questions:
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Visualization and preparation are part of the equation, certainly, but they're not all of it. Another important piece of this is creating opportunities for yourself. For the Olympic athletes, the games are simply the last in a series of competitions that have led them there. Many of them began their journey to the world stage in local contests years prior to the ultimate showdown.
Passively waiting for an opportunity to come along is a flawed approach. It's why Michael Hyatt says "good outcomes are caused." You have to be willing to create for yourself favorable circumstances that are more likely to result in your success. If there is an advantage to be gained, why not seize it?
Finally, let us also consider these things in terms of teams and leadership. Sports coaches know all about the mental element of competition. Some are more effective than others at implementing visualization exercises or other non-physical training, however, any leader can benefit from understanding the mental component to their team's success. This may present itself in the form of awareness or tactical understanding of the task at hand. It may involve mental wellness or peer support. Perhaps your team has a daily or regular ritual that prepares its members for creating positive and beneficial results. If not, how can you change that.
These are not "win at all costs" scenarios. How these approaches affect you or the team should be carefully weighed for longevity and appropriateness.
To summarize, I encourage you to pay attention to the shoulder sessions that surround the activity in which performance matters. Endeavor to create for yourself, and your team, an environment in which success is likelier than not, and dedicate yourself to making that environment a consistent reality. We're fortunate to see some of that on display in France right now, but behind almost every significant achievement, sport or not, is a great deal of preparation, focus, discipline, and fortitude.
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