Do a Dubler

If you haven’t seen it, watch it.

A fleeting yet phenomenal moment in Tokyo that took place during the final stages of the men’s decathlon that’s set to be immortalised for showcasing the epitome of Olympic spirit and sportsmanship.

Cedric Dubler, the Australian athletics stalwart and decathlete sacrificed his own performance to pace, push, urge and plead his team mate (and former apprentice) Ash Moloney to find another gear in the closing stages of the 1500m and achieve a historic podium finish.

Having screamed himself out of breath, Dubler mustered enough energy to complete the race and scream one last time, with sheer elation for the success of his peer, as he himself crossed the finish line... in last place.

If you didn’t get goosebumps, you may need to check your wrist for a pulse.

After sitting back down and composing myself, I reflected on this moment. It didn’t take long for the thought to brew:

"Man, I wish I had a Cedric Dubler in my life to push me along sometimes..."

As a small business owner - you don’t tend to receive much in the way of encouragement from below, above or sideways (in fact it can occasionally be the opposite!). So a Dubler in my corner would be just the ticket during those times when I’m dragging my feet on that deck, proposal or report.

Then I realised that I was on the wrong track (pun intended).

It’s selfish for me to think that my want for encouragement is any greater than a manager, a tradesman’s apprentice, a CEO, spouse, parent, student, or athlete.

It is also selfish for me to wish for a Cedric Dubler in my corner; not to mention that it’s out of my control and probably counterproductive to yearn for it.

The epiphany eventually dawned… Do a Dubler.

Instead of wanting encouragement, provide it - find your own Ash Moloney to push along.

Someone you know well. A colleague, a friend, a boss, your partner, your teacher, your student; someone you believe is on the verge of something meaningful - and put a rocket under them:

“Let’s go champion, get moving, you could be anything!? Start that business / Go for that promotion / Ask your life-long crush out / Win that race!”

And don’t stop there, keep up the support, push them to bolt to their own metaphorical finish line, and cheer for their wins as if they were your own.

If we all were to invest an hour a month into being someone’s Cedric Dubler, then maybe, someday, our own Cedric Dubler may find us as well.

Now go, get cracking, run, I SAID RUN YOU? #$%&? @%#$%&*, RUUUUUN!

Epilogue

I’m fairly certain that Cedric Dubler, whilst proud of the part he played in Ash Moloney’s performance, has no intention of going down in history as the ‘wind beneath his wings’.?I’m even more certain that he’ll be busting his own chops, pushing himself beyond his limits to reach his own podium finish in 3 years time in Paris. The point to this epilogue is, if he can strive to be both - the motivator and the champion, so can we.