The Tokyo Olympics has definitely been a source of inspiration…and filled with challenges, heartaches, triumphs, miracles, losses, and wins. The stories of the athletes are remarkable! Even the cutting-edge technology such as the recovery robot cars driving around the track-and-field stadium play a significant role.
And, it’s truly amazing to watch the athletes overcome hurdles, diversity, and pressure in order to compete and win—and not only in terms of gold, silver, and bronze. They show up, compete at the highest levels, focus on the single-most important thing in their Olympic career, and they do their very best when it matters most! A great reminder for all of us.
Whether or not they bring home a medal, just being at the Olympics sets them apart and that is a huge WIN for them. So many of these athletes will learn from their experience and use it to propel their life forward in future Olympics or in life.
As one of my coaches says, “we either WIN or we LEARN from our experiences.” And those experiences help us pivot all along the way.
You know the Olympic athletes have visualized that dive a million times in their heads. That skateboard run. That discus throw. The marathon run. That winning volleyball spike. That flawless high-beam routine. Crossing the finish line by a ‘tiny hair’ ahead of another competitor to win. And, those synchronized swimmers—mind-blowing. They’ve practiced countless hours, endured injuries, and sacrificed to achieve their dream of competing on the largest stage in the world.
It’s been nothing short of having goosebumps watching all the competitors doing their very best—under immense pressure—and with the eyes of the whole world watching every move before, during, and after the competition.
One of my favorite Olympic events…
One of my favorite events was the Men’s High Jump.
Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim had perfect scores until the bar was set to an Olympic-record height, but both competitors missed—three times!
And, they were both tied for gold.
In a huddle with the track officials, the athletes were given an option to settle their tie with a jump-off. However, Barshim suggested they both receive a gold medal. The Olympic official said, “it’s possible…if you both agree,” and with a simple nod between them, it was done! Can you believe that?
Both Tameri and Barshim received the gold medal!
Both felt they earned it…and both thought the other was deserving of the gold medal.
Talk about unexpected! That was just a crazy ending, but what this taught me, was true competition—and sportsmanship—which sometimes is even more magical. We lift each other up when we improve ourselves. And diversity and competition supercharge individual improvement.
Tamberi even kept a cast as a reminder of his broken ankle five years prior during the Rio Olympics. When the cast came off, he wrote “Road to Tokyo 2020” then after the pandemic hit, he wrote “2021.” He was on a mission to reach his goal of a gold medal.
Clearly, he kept his eye on the prize and he worked hard to get it. But did it go exactly as planned? No. Both Tamberi and Barshim competed at the highest levels and walked away with the gold medal.
One thing I’ve learned is that not much in this life goes as we plan.
And, one of the best qualities and skills that can be learned is how to adapt. In fact, I believe it is one of the most valuable skills one can have in their arsenal.
Olympic champions don’t just show up and dive off a 10-meter platform thinking they’ll win gold the first time they hit the water. Each competitor mapped out and strategized their plan to win. They put in the work, they adjusted their diet, their practice and workout routines, their mindset, and devised a winning strategy.
These athletes studied their competitor’s strengths and weaknesses. They identified their own strengths and weaknesses and they worked on their own techniques and skills. Then they invested in themselves and in others so they could master their craft and achieve their dreams.
Do you know what every one of the competitors at the Olympics has in common besides drive, ambition, and a vision of their future?
A coach. Not just any coach—an “Olympic” coach.
A trusted coach who sees their dreams in the future. A coach with the knowledge and expertise from previously competing at this level or the experience of working with other champions and leading them to success. Someone who will nudge you along in the right direction.
Coaching is the great accelerator in life.
Olympic champions don’t work alone.
Champions aren’t embarrassed to ask for help.
Champions aren’t driven by their ego of having to do everything by themselves to prove a point.
And, champions listen to good, proven advice from experienced coaches—and execute.
Every champion has a different reason for wanting to win. Like the 14-year-old diver who received perfect 10’s on two of her final-round dives, Quan Hongchan, and won the gold medal in Women’s 10-Meter Platform Diving.
When she was interviewed, she dedicated her victory to her mother, who is ill and undergoing consistent treatments. “I want to make enough money to support her,” Quan said through an interpreter.
“I listen to my coach very carefully and follow his instructions very carefully.”
She was unable to compete in the World Championships because her birthday didn’t fall within a certain range. But, she let NOTHING stand in her way of winning—and that’s the recipe for success! She obliterated immeasurable pressure and obstacles to achieve her goals.
Perhaps you feel like an Olympic federal job seeker. You might think that qualifying for a federal job can feel like competing with Olympic gold medalists.
You might feel immense pressure from a stagnant job search. Or you may sometimes feel like a federal job or promotion seems unattainable. However, with the right coach, discipline, training, and motivation, your dream job IS achievable!
And, when it comes to a tie score after an interview, it would be few and far between for two people to land the job. Right?
To compete and WIN, you must prepare, practice, plan, and execute. And it all starts with your winning federal résumé.
Your resume is the SINGLE-MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT in your career!
Are you giving your federal resume the priority it deserves to represent YOU in competition for federal jobs?
Does your federal resume have cutting-edge strategies to help you stand out and edge out the competition?
Are you training with the “Olympic-style” coaches who have led others to success?
You can cross the finish line first when you train with the best coaches who will help you stack up and position your value so you can compete at the highest levels and WIN!
And, we’d love to be your coach! The more you invest in coaching, the faster you can grow!
Join us at our free training to discover hidden strategies that will boost your resume score so you can compete at the highest level, get through the rounds of competition, and land your dream job!
What was your favorite Olympic event? Please comment below and let me know!
For more than 25 years, I've been trusted by all levels of professionals to senior executives in the Federal Government to collaborate with them and strategize, coach, and write not only their single most important document—the resume—but all of their career marketing that propels them upward in the ranks of the Federal Government and private sector. And, I would love to meet you and help you with yours! Thank you for stopping by!
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