What can swimming teach us about reaching our professional goals ??

The process I apply to swimming 20 laps of the local pool can also be used to help us achieve our professional goals too.?

First of all, a definition of a lap: If you swim from one side of the pool to the other, it counts as one lap. ????

So how does swimming laps help us to reach our professional goals?

1.Healing the wound of overachieving.

Swimming, like many sports, can be an embodied metaphor for how we relate to life. When I first started swimming I had some unrealistic expectations and set some unnecessary goals for myself: that I would go to the pool every day, that I will constantly get better, faster and swim longer. That I will keep my breath longer under the water. But I noticed this need and I decided that I won't follow it. I would hate to lose the enjoyment that I get for swimming because of a frustration of not achieving enough or not being perfect. The same goes to business, I am trying to learn to enjoy my own pace, to set realistic goals and expectations for myself and not sacrifice enjoyment at the workplace because of my need for perfection.

2. Stay in your own lane.

There is nothing better than being at the pool and just ignoring every other person. I swim in my lane, and my lane only. Up and down, up and down. Not once do I get out of my lane. Not once do I compare to other swimmers or race with them (in my mind, of course). In business it is very easy to start comparing with others, to let the insecurities set in and to forget what we are trying to achieve for ourselves. Stay in your own lane people. Focus on your own pace and needs.?

3. Break it down.

I break my goal into smaller more easily digestible segments. Before I even get in the pool I am telling myself it is just 20 laps. I then break that up into 2 lots of 10 laps. I then break up the 10 laps into 6 laps (so I am already more than half way of the half way mark) then 4 laps sounds easy to finish off. Business goals are the same. So break your big goal into monthly goals and then weekly goals, or number of tasks to be finished. It is much easier to hit a big target by continually hitter smaller targets (not to mention a million times more empowering to see little successes along the way).

4. Understand when it's safe to take a risk or push yourself, and when it's not.

In swimming, this might seem obvious: Yes, if I start losing breath in the middle of a lap I immediately switch to floating and I focus on getting enough oxygen before I continue swimming. I don't force myself to continue without enough air in my lungs. But in business, this is not easy to practice. Sometimes we rush things, we take uncalculated risks and we put our position, body and health at risk. Taking risks can lead to some of our biggest wins, but sometimes it's not worth it. Knowing the difference can make a huge impact on your overall success and well-being.

5. Stop if you need to. But you must start again.

OK, so I wish I could start swimming and don't stop for 10 minutes. But truth is, I find thinking about breathing, swimming and not drowning all at the same time to be quite hard. So after each lap I need to stop, take a rest, get some air and then I keep going. Often with business goals you hit a roadblock. That is to be expected and nothing to lose your mind over. But roadblocks do not mean you stop. Rest, find a way to recharge yourself, take your time, but in the end you must keep going, even if the direction or speed has slightly changed.

6. Overcome fear.

On my first day at the pool (where now I am regularly swimming) the employees informed me that the entire pool depth is 2 meters. I immediately got scared since all of my life I've been swimming in pools that had a different levels of depth and I was most comfortable to swim when I know that I can touch the ground if I want to at any given time. Even on vacation, in the sea, I prefer to swim in the shallow. But in this pool that was not possible. So I figured that if I started one lap I had to finish it and only then I can step on a 10cm part that is designed for resting on the other side of the pool. In business, you must overcome certain fears to move forward. You have to step outside your comfort zone, from the shallow parts and "swim in the open sea" (you get the analogy).

7. Know there is more than one way to go forward.

There are many strokes and ways for swimmers to move. There are different combination of swimming styles for me to complete each lap. And I use them based on how I feel at the moment and from my goal for the day. Being adaptable in the water is important. In business, you also must be versatile to see success. Most of the time, things don't go as planned or as intended, but you must be prepared with Plan B, C and D and not allow any setbacks to hold you back.?