Did you see Mondo Duplantis set the new world record for the men’s pole vault this week? Wow! It’s breath-taking! If you missed it, Google it (once you’ve finished reading this email, of course đ).
Olympic athletes seem superhuman. They’re certainly super-impressive.
But they’re still human beings and we can learn a lot from the actions they take to reach the pinnacle of sporting prowess. Their secrets will drive results for any of us, whatever success we are seeking.
Here are the top tips you’ll hear them share time after time:
(1) Clear goals. During four hard years of training, to the moment they step up to the line, winning athletes are training to reach a specific outcome, whether that’s making it to the Olympics or standing on the top podium. If you want to be successful, you need to know what success looks like for you too.
(2) Preparation. Every Olympic athlete has put in the hard yards – literally and metaphorically – day after day, month after month, year after year. Luck on the day will always play a part, but winning is built on solid effort. Successful performance requires consistent, long-term preparation.
(3) The right people around them. Top athletes say, while they may be holding the winner’s medal, there’s a whole team who made it possible. Whether that’s the people who believed in them when their own confidence faltered or the experts who coached them on how to get better, they need the right team. Your success will not be a solitary effort either. Make sure you have people around you who believe in you so you can call on them on the toughest days. Find the experts who can fill the gaps in your knowledge and skill. They’re out there if you look.
(4) Self-belief. When the moment comes, and they’re waiting for the starting pistol, winning athletes are not doubting whether they can do it. They know they’ve done the preparation. They know they’re ready to give their best. We all need self-belief too so that we can draw on it on those days when we face our biggest opportunities or our biggest tests.
(5) They focus on what they can control. Despite all of this, there’s a myriad of things that can go wrong on the day. And someone else just might get there faster. But athletes don’t waste their precious energy worrying about these things. Your energy is precious too, so keep your focus on the things you can control.
These five actions add up to that magic thing called Confidence. They come together to set the winners apart. And they’ll come together to set you apart too.
Have a great week and always remember, life will be more rewarding if you observe yourself and others with interest and learning, not with criticism and judgement.