The colorful 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris just ended. As predicted in the world of sports, we saw both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. But what we saw most was thousands of elite athletes who prepared for years in the hopes of showcasing their skills – sometimes for only a matter of minutes – to attain Olympic Gold.
While all athletes want to be the best, only a select few make it to the elite level. Keith Anderson, a sports medicine physician who works with the USA Canoe and Kayak Team, says, “Elite athletes put in many many more hours than an average athlete, and are better at staying focused on the goal.”
Anderson also says elite athletes are mentally able to continue on when things get hard, which enables them to push their body to do things the average athlete isn’t able to do.
When we look at the business world, there are similarities: most employees want to be the best and achieve the high-performer rating, but only a select few make it to the elite level. However, there are also significant differences: Olympic athletes practice and train rigorously for years, have a personal coach, make daily sacrifices, eat and sleep right, work on both mental and physical toughness every day, rest, and know that greatness takes time.
In business, we’re disappointed when we don’t receive the high-performer rating, but in all honesty, how many of us attack that goal with the same dedication and vigor elite athletes employ to attack their dream of Olympic Gold? I’m guessing not many.
It’s admirable to want to be the best and achieve the high-performer rating. But that’s not enough. We also must be honest about what that will take and ask ourselves what we’re willing to do to make it happen.
The post Are You Really Willing to do What it Takes to be a Simone Biles? appeared first on Jill Christensen International - Employee Engagement Expert.