While she was white-knuckle-scared as we walked to the top of the slide, Zoe experienced the pure joy of swooshing down at the speed of light (albeit slowed some by the burlap bag.) Isn’t it a blast to set a goal, face the fear, take the risk and GO?! Yes! From there, you can go on to bigger slides. Or, in Zoe’s case, the merry go round! Our trip to the amusement part was her personal Olympics 2012.
Competition is an essential element of humanity. Tipped too far it leads to war and oppression. Balanced just right and you get the Olympics. It’s the world playground where we get to face off, with ourselves, with others, with the clock, with the equipment. Or we get to watch in awe as others step up to the challenge.
There are so many business lessons, life lessons to be learned at the Olympics (or at the amusement park!) Set a goal. Any goal. Pick something. Then, take aligned action and see what you can do. Discover what it will make of you to commit to the goal. Business is like that. Set a goal. $50K. $1,000,000. 3 locations. 100 locations. Why not? Now, consider what you would have to do…today, tomorrow, next year…to make it happen.
For some athletes life after the goal is achieved, or released, may be a struggle. What now? What next? For the business person who sells his or her company, the subsequent retirement is often a depressing time of doubt and insecurity. What now? What next?
Many athletes become rockin’ great business people in the next competitive adventure of their lives. Many business people become serial entrepreneurs. Once you learn how to play the game, all you have to do is apply the same basic strategy to the next goal.
Pick a goal and go for the gold. Then, pick another one.
Here’s a terrific video series I put together to teach business planning basics. It will work for any business. Take a look!
