What We Mere Mortals Can Learn From the Paris Olympians

The Olympics are on, and they are just magical (even if that opening ceremony was overly long and a bit weird). At no other point do so many of the world’s best athletes come together all at once. If you’re a sports fan, or just a fan of world-class talent, the Olympics are a feast for the senses.

While very few of us will become the working world equivalents of these Olympians, watching the Paris Games does bring to mind a number of lessons that we – mere mortals – can apply in our own professional lives. Here are just a few:

• Being world class – or even just really good – takes grit. Every one of the 10,700+ athletes competing in the Olympics has spent literally thousands of hours getting to the Games. They’ve all made many, many sacrifices along the way. What has fueled them is their grit, which in turn is driven by a combination of their passion and persistence. Both matter. Passion without persistence is just a dream. Persistence without passion is just a drag. Success at this level takes both, so if you want to be really good at what you do, find something you can be both passionate and persistent about. In other words, be willing to be gritty.
• Purposeful practice is at the core.?No one gets to be the best of their sport without countless hours of practice. And not just any old practice, but purposeful practice. Especially in our technology- and data-rich world, these world class athletes and their coaches are constantly evaluating their workouts, form and mechanics, diets, sleep habits, biomarkers, and mental states. They practice, learn and refine, over and over and over again. As professionals in our own ‘sports’, we should take a similar approach. This means committing to learning and growing. It means working smart, not working hard. And it means consistency, not just flashes of brilliance.
• Success comes from failure, and that takes resilience.?No athlete’s road to the Games has been without bumps along the way. They’ve all had good days and bad days, injuries and setbacks, periods of growth and plateau. But they’ve seen themselves through those challenging periods and stayed focused on their objective to get steadily better. That takes resilience. You’re going to face setbacks too – odds are you already have. Learn how to work through them, learn from them, and put them behind you. If you do, you’ll build the resilience you need for sustained success.
• Teamwork can trump talent.?The favorites in the team events don’t always end up winning. They may have the best talent on paper, but if they don’t come together as a team, they could very well get beaten by a ‘lesser’ group that plays better together. In your own work, don’t ever underestimate the cumulative power of a strong team. Seek to be on the best teams. You’ll learn immeasurably more in such situations. And always aim to be a great team participant and – if it’s part of your role – a great team leader.
• Savor the experience.?For the thousands of athletes who come to the Games knowing that they won’t be medal contenders, just being there is their victory. They get to enjoy the hugely unique experience of living in the Athlete’s Village and soaking up the atmosphere of the Olympics from the inside. For those who do come to the Games expecting to medal, it takes much more work to remember that they need to savor the moment too, and it’s always a bit sad when you see an athlete forget that. Whether you expect to ‘medal’ in your profession or just be there, make sure you savor the experiences along the way.
• We're all much more than our visible moments.?An Olympic moment, if you’re a 100m sprinter, may be all of 10 seconds. If you're a climber, it may be only 5 seconds. Are those athletes just what they accomplish in those 5 or 10 seconds? Of course not. Nor are we merely our own brief visible moments (good or bad). Just as is the case with the Olympic athletes, the visible moments represent just a tiny part of our whole selves. They – and we – want to be remembered for our body of work and for who we are as people. Don’t let yourself be defined by a moment. Aim for consistency, and stay true to your values. If you do, you’ll be remembered for much more.

Recent and Upcoming Podcasts

July 29, Leading With Light, with Jennifer Mulholland and Jeff Shuck.Jennifer and Jeff first met each other many years ago while working together. They went their separate ways, but fate drew them back together. They now co-lead a professional development firm, Plenty Consulting, and have recently co-authored a book called?Leading With Light. We’ll cover the book and their professional journeys, individually and together.

August 5, Finding Financial – And Time – Freedom, with Brian Herriot.?As Brian tells it, he became financially free last year at the age of 47. Does that mean he has quit working entirely? No! But it means that he now has the flexibility to come in and out of the work world as he chooses, giving him the ability to enjoy time with family and take extended breaks. We’ll talk about how he got to that point, and his advice for others who want to do the same.

August 12, A Peak Into The Aviation Industry, with Julien Martinson.?Julien is deeply passionate about the aviation industry, and he wants to share his passion with others who are considering a career in aviation. In our discussion, we’ll talk about aviation trends and developments, as well as about different roles within the industry.

As always, our “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts are available on all the major podcast platforms, with video versions on PathWise’s YouTube channel

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Career Themes of the Week

July 29 – Self-Care.?Work is hard, and with the pace of change seeming only to accelerate, it can certainly feel like work is getting harder at a quickening rate as well. This makes practicing self-care more and more important, and we’ll share some tips and tricks for taking care of yourself, even when the going gets tough.

August 5 – Humility.?While we often think of leadership and confidence as going hand-in-glove, the very best leaders are also humble. Their humility allows them to create the space for others around them to grow and to contribute more fully. They recognize that true leadership is about others, not about self. With that backdrop, we’ll cover how you can practice the habits of humility.

August 12 – Experimentation.?Learning through trial-and-error isn’t just for scientists and middle school kids. All of us can build a practice of experimentation into our professional toolkit. By regularly conducting experiments, learning from them, and adapting accordingly, we get better – faster. And that’s what being a professional is all about.

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August Book Summary

The Story Factor, by Annette Simmons, presented by PathWise’s Daniela De Luca.?Stories are powerful, often more so than facts and analysis. They touch something deep inside us, sparking an emotional connection, making them more memorable, and helping us see their meaning. Annette Simmons covers the psychology of story, types of stories, and how to tell a story well. For these reasons, The Story Factor has been called one of the best 100 business books of all time.

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