3 areas of focus for success: Olympic strategies.
Crossing the line first in an Olympic final is the result of a vast combination of actions and circumstances over many years.
Many of the techniques, actions and mindsets that lead to these major performances can be explored and honed into methods for success in most other areas of life.
Here are 3 key areas to explore with your team when working towards a significant goal:
1. SUCCESS DOESN’T COME FROM A SINGLE PERFORMANCE.
Success comes from patient, gradual improvement over a sustained period that contributes to a rise in standard.
As an athlete, I wasn’t preparing for a single moment - the Olympic final. I was preparing to perform whenever I needed to, whatever the circumstance, under any conditions at the standard needed to win gold.
When the moment to perform arose, my team and I didn't try to do anything we hadn't done before. We weren’t 'searching' for a pinnacle, we simply needed to perform at the standard we knew we could.
2. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TALKING & COMMUNICATION.
Do you Talk to your team or do you Communicate?
The difference lies in the opportunity for honesty, and usually results in either uncertainty and regret, or clarity and focus.
To enable communication a group or team must go through 4 stages:
Stage 1: The team must be 100% aligned with the goal, there can be no uncertainty.
Stage 2: All individuals in the team must understand the techniques, processes and systems required to work towards the goal.
Stage 3: We often speak the same language without understanding each other. Create a language where key words mean exactly the same thing to all. It’s incredible how often we think we understand each other but are in fact completely misaligned.
Step 4: Create a ‘safe space’, a regular time or literal location when truly honest conversations can occur. This is the key to true communication and can only happen successfully when each member of the team understands that whatever is being said really matters to the person saying it. Right or wrong, agree or disagree, it doesn’t matter. That person is saying it because THEY need to say it. It’s not about you or your opinions, park that ego, It’s about them. It’s about supporting your team mates on their path to zero uncertainty and regrets.
These 4 steps result in an emotionally connected team built on clarity and trust that progresses with courage and confidence…key ingredients to performance.
3. TRY TO SOLVE EVERYTHING TODAY, SOLVE NOTHING.
There’s a difference between working hard to improve and working hard to grow.
Both are positive proactive actions but one leads to lasting change, the other leads to the possibility of change.
My coach planted individual seeds in his teams that his athletes then had to nurture and grow. The seed was an intention for change. The challenge was to make that change a reality, together, by analysing, testing, understanding and initiating change leading to a confident growth. That growth became embedded and remained standard practice. The team would have it when they needed it in the Olympic final.
Other coaches scatter seeds, many of them, constantly. Because so many seeds are scattered, there is no time or space for analysis, testing, understanding and growth. Change happens, but only sometimes. Lasting change happens even less. When teams need the changes, in the Olympic final, sometimes they are there sometimes not, it’s down to chance.
We can’t possibly focus on everything all at the same time.
Teams perform better when they are confident.
KNOWING 5 improvements have been made over a period of time is far more valuable than hoping 100 improvements have been made.
Uncertainty destroys performance.
Confidence leads to performance.
How Can I Help?
If you enjoyed these messages and would like your team to consider these points and more, please get in touch for motivational speaking.
If you’re an athlete with international or Olympic aspirations and require a performance coach and mentor, get in touch!
I work with a small number of select individuals each year, guiding and supporting their journey with performance and mindset coaching tailored to each individual.