I realize that the 2024 Summer Olympics will be yesterday’s news by the time you read this article. I am also cognizant of the fact that I have reported on today’s topic more than once in the past. In fact, I allow this message to surface every time the Olympic games take center stage, be it the winter or summer games.
I can’t think of a more memorable accomplishment than to earn a medal in the Olympics while representing your country. Many years of one’s life have been devoted to training and discipline with hopes to bring home the hardware while standing on the podium. I get chills just thinking about it.
But as in all competitive situations, not everybody can win. This holds true in business as it does in sports. Wishing, hoping and praying won’t do it by itself. Practice and more practice is the key. Years and years of it. And still there is no guarantee.
Get a load of this. In the women’s 100-meter breaststroke (swimming), a USA Olympian missed her life’s goal by ….. standby …. 1/100th of a second. A single blink of an eye takes ten times longer than this time frame. I can only imagine what is going through her mind: “What could I have done differently in the past four years to be able to swim just 1/100th a second faster?”
The lesson here should be clear. Gold, silver, bronze, thanks for coming. The difference between winning or losing today is minuscule. You don’t have to be twice as good as anybody to succeed in business today. You just need to be a little bit faster… say 1/100th of a second faster.
I’ll give you a hint. Call people back faster. Start your day a few minutes sooner. Only speak when you can improve upon the silence. Write that thank-you note today (now.) Ask a few more questions before offering your advice. Simple. Little things.
I love watching the Olympics because they remind me how the best become the best. And they remind me of the joys of victory and the agony of defeat.
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club, mike@mikemarchev.com.
*** You want more to think about? Check out my weekly podcast (Miked Up Marchev). Also listed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google, and iHeartRadio.
