Thank Goodness It's Monday #366

14,000 ATHLETES

ALL AIMING

AT THE SAME ELUSIVE GOAL

Front and Reverse of the
2012 Summer Olympics
 (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad,
also known informally as London 2012)
Gold Medal

The 2012 Summer Olympics are about to get under way in London. At the center of it all, perhaps as many as 14,000 world-class athletes – some you have heard of, many you have not – each one aiming at the same elusive goal:  

Victory. And at every turn there will be “the thrill of victory; the agony of defeat.”

Just like any other day in your life and mine.

Really. 

It is quite like that, isn’t it?

Every day has Olympic moments. Just look at our non-athletic, work-a-day world. In very practical business terms for example:

Someone makes the sale.

Everyone else is a runner up.

No silver or bronze medals are awarded.

You can’t win them all. In fact, truth is, like most of the 14,000 athletes striving in the 302 Olympic gold medal events, even at the highest level, you can win very few outright.

BUT --

(And, as you can see it’s a big “but …”)

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. And try your damnedest.

We’ll dig deeper into precisely how to do that momentarily. But first, to establish my “cred” and impress you with my innate ability to lead you to mastery –

Now …

   Before the opening ceremonies are even underway …

       In the most amazing feat of sports prognostication that you will ever witness …

          I will reveal the Olympic athletes who WILL NOT WIN Olympic gold:

And the LOSERS are:

Every athlete who is focused on winning.

Yup. 

The WINNERS will be:

The athletes who want to win

and focus on giving a full effort.

Full disclosure: I learned this lesson from my friend the noted sports psychologist, Rob Gilbert, Ph.D. 

Dr. Rob often makes this point -- almost every athlete focuses on the wrong thing: winning – by getting the folks he would inspire to, well –

Focus on the wrong thing. He does it with a child’s --

RIDDLE: Anna’s mother has three daughters. One is named “Penny.” Another is named “Nickel.” What is the name of the third daughter?

·         Are you thinking the answer is “Dime” or “Quarter” or “Half-Dollar”? 

·         Are you such a Jersey-minded Abbot and Costello fan that you think the name is “What.” (Who’s On First, What’s On Second, etc. Lou was devoted to his home town of Paterson NJ where a Who’s-On-First related statue has been erected in his honor.)

Back to the point: Those answers are not even close because you’re focusing on the wrong part of the riddle. 

If you focus on the first two words – “Anna’s mother” – you’ll realize that the third daughter’s name is -- drum roll, please -- Anna! 

Olympic “Aha!” moment: Most athletes do something similar. They’re focusing on the wrong thing. They’re focused on winning.

This is a big mistake.

Why?

TGIM “Aha!” moment: Because they – and we, in our daily challenges, Olympian or lesser – do not have control over winning.

But we do have control over our effort. 

TGIM ACTION IDEA: Keep your focus on your effort, not on the outcome. Keep your focus on the process, not the product. Keep your eye on the ball, not on the trophy stand. Know that every time you compete, it’s important, but – in the scheme of life – not that important.

TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Prepare and tackle every major challenge you foresee with an Olympian mindset. Drill. Get coached. Continually hone your skills. Play up to your potential and play full out. Be in the moment; remain intent on the task at hand. And -- most of all -- focus on effort, not outcome.

In his book, Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality, Anthony De Mello quotes a Chinese sage who expounds: 

“When the archer shoots for no particular prize, he has all his skills; when he shoots to win a brass buckle, he is already nervous; when he shoots for a gold prize, he goes blind …. His skill has not changed, but the prize divides him. He cares! He thinks more of winning than of shooting, and the need to win drains him of power.”

TGIM Takeaway: Care – but not that much. Focus on your effort, not outcome. 

See you on the medal stand.

Geoff Steck   
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing

8 Depot Square

Englewood, NJ 07631
201-569-5373
tgimguy@gmail.com

P. S. “People want to be amazed. So that’s what I’m working for.” Usain “Lightning” Bolt, Jamaican sprinter and a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist, said that. He is the world record and Olympic record holder in the 100 meters, the 200 meters and (along with his teammates) the 4×100 meters relay. Think he’s focused on his effort? "To Di World!"