Inspiration →Legacy

We’ve been thoroughly enjoying the Olympics in our household;? any sport - or indeed any activity - where you are witnessing true mastery is worth paying attention to in my opinion.

I challenge even those who are not sports fans not to be impressed and touched by some of the back-stories and the achievements - many really do transcend sport.

After major sporting events there’s a huge amount of talk about the legacy that's left behind both in terms of infrastructure and facilities, but also it’s hoped/assumed, in terms of participation and the potential for that to positively impact public health.

Whilst many individual athletes remember being inspired by the feats of their heroes they watched competing in past Olympics, sadly (though I’m sure there are exceptions) the impact on a wider scale is often short-lived.

So how do we translate these moments of inspiration and amazing achievements into a true lasting legacy?

Some people suggest that part of the problem is that whilst we love watching the experts and the world beaters, few of us can truly relate to the level of fitness and skill required, so whilst we admire from afar (or the sofa!), we subconsciously think “I can’t do that”.

Which, let’s face it, is probably true!? But we don’t need to be experts or set new world records to benefit...

I’m not going to pretend I know the answers at a population level but I’m a huge believer in the principle of “being the change you wish to see” (attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, although a little Googling would say otherwise - the principle still remains).

So rather than trying to change the world all at once, my suggestions are:

1. Start with yourself.? Prioritise your health - you don’t necessarily have to take up synchro diving or get back into skateboarding, but can you do a little bit better and be more consistent with your exercise?? Can you eat a little bit healthier?? Can you get to bed a bit earlier and get more/better sleep??
2. Start with your household.? How could you do things differently as a couple or as a family?? How could you be more active?? You lead your family: what habits and routines could you set up around exercise and nutrition that you know will hold them in good stead?
3. Start with your team/business. ?How could you weave health into how your business and people operate?? Not “fruit on a Friday”, but build a genuinely healthy culture that reflects the fact that healthier people will be more productive, more creative and happier?? Doesn’t need to be imposed but you can model the behaviours, facilitate it, support it and make it easier whereas so many businesses and workplaces do precisely the opposite.

Above all, the Olympics has been a great reminder for me to admire the skills on show, but that we should take our real inspiration from the long-term approach of all the athletes; the commitment, the discipline and the consistency; the turning up and working on themselves day after day after day, not giving up, working around inevitable setbacks and recognising that you need a team around you to make anything great happen.

Whilst ultimately we don’t need to perform at their level in any one thing - and of course it’s not our full-time job! - we can show up and try and improve our health and fitness little by little each day and each week, and by doing this we can also influence those around us who we care about the most.

That is how we create a legacy from the moments of inspiration we see in the Olympics.

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SMALL CHANGE: BIG IMPACT

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