Life Lessons from the Olympics.
An athlete doesn’t just focus on winning. They focus on the skills they need to develop to win.
The Olympic games have been absolutely MIND-BLOWING to watch.
I mean, are you KIDDING me with the THINGS that people can do with their bodies?'
No emphasis on how anyone's body looks, just pure skill, strength, power, flexibility, courage.
It's truly a testament to how absolutely incredible our bodies are.
What they can do.
* please pause for a moment of immense gratitude and awe *
Funny enough, I'm not taking this opportunity to talk about body image.
But here are some people that created some awesome reels on IG highlighting the topic :)
We're actually going to be chatting about mindset.
The most incredible, most talented and skilled OLYMPIC athletes don't just focus on winning.
They focus on the skills they need to develop to win.
Outcome Goals: The end result of what you want to achieve.
Looks like: I want to win a gold metal.
Looks like: I want to run 5k in 30 minutes.
Looks like: I want to lose 15 lbs.
Outcome goals are great north stars - they give meaning to your efforts and give you something to look forward to and envision. However, you can't always control outcomes (there may be factors outside of your control at play). And they can feel overwhelming and lead to frustration if the goal is big or distant. Unfortunately, most people focus too much on outcome goals.
Behavior Goals: The actions and skills you need to develop to achieve your outcome goal.
Looks like: I'm going to practice my handspring vaults 4x/week.
Looks like: I'm going to run for 30 minutes 3x/week for the next month.
Looks like: I'm going to eat one salad a day.
Behavior goals are the actions and habits you can control. They're what are ultimately going to get you closer to your outcome goal. The great part about these kinds of goals is that they provide a faster sense of accomplishment through consistent action - keep you motivated and in momentum. They're also far less intimidating because they're smaller and more manageable (if set up right).
Olympians don't win gold metals by focusing on gold metals.
They win gold metals by perfecting their routines, mastering their techniques and challenging themselves outside of their comfort zones.
How to Win Your Own Gold Metal:
Whether your gold metal is a certain amount of muscle, a dress you'd like to fit into, a 20 min 5k time, or to lower your cholesterol, the approach is the same:
1) Focus on Skill Development. Break down your goal into it's fundamental components: lift weights 3x/week, eat a salad a day, drink 64oz of water, go for a 30min walk outdoors every day… Break it down into as small of an action as you have to. The most skilled tennis players in the world once didn't know how to serve. They don't start at the top, they start at the bottom. You can too.
2) Get Up. Do you know how much sh*t a pole vaulter has to eat before they get over the bar for the first time? Even the most skilled professional athletes make mistakes. The important part is that they get up, learn, and try again - over and over and over again.
3) Embrace the Suck. Change can be SOOO uncomfortable. But if you don't embrace the challenge, you stay where you are. This is where self-talk comes in (check Djokovic out here). Be on your own side, it makes the journey so much easier.
