4 Olympian habits to be more competitive at work
Parent Post
The biggest leaps forward
The biggest leaps forward come when an athlete discovers a new idea or concept that alters the game itself. This means not following the same patterns that everyone else is following.
True innovators don’t play by the same rules as everyone else; they introduce new concepts that lead to a whole new game altogether.
Design for continuous improvementTo
Design for continuous improvement
To experience disruptive success, apply what Zen Buddhists call a “beginner’s mind.”
Take one of your initiatives and try to imagine that you’re approaching it for the first time.
Leverage new technology .
Leverage new technology . . . twice!
There is a pattern that we often see repeated in the world of athletics. Technology allows for both incremental and transformative performance increases–the latter of which may not be as obvious as the first.
However, the immediate performance gains from technology are just the first step. Technology also opens the door to transformative new approaches that defy the common dogma about how something is done.
In many cases, it is not the technology that is missing, but the concept and a name.
There are four habits
There are four habits you can develop that will help you draw on historic breakthroughs—from past Olympic games and beyond—to replicate record-breaking performances.
- Identifying and enhancing your strengths.
- Designing a lifestyle or culture that supports continuous improvement.
- Leverage new technology . . . twice!
- Training your mindset to attempt new techniques and explore possibilities.
Train your mindset to
Train your mindset to attempt new techniques and explore possibilities
If you play the game the way you’ve always played, the outcome will remain the same. To improve your outcome, you need to change the way you play the game.
Resist emulating others or replicating what you’ve done in the past—learn to build upon your strengths and ignore any time-wasters.
Develop a habit of seeking new approaches and looking past currently accepted solutions.
Pay attention to technological advancements, but train your brain to look for and apply emerging concepts.
Identify and enhance your
Identify and enhance your strengths
It seems like great athletes push past their limitations every year, incrementally improving their performance by training harder or making subtle lifestyle changes.
Try this quick exercise to identify your own strengths and determine where you might focus your innovative efforts. Make a list of all the initiatives you are executing or considering.
- Wastes of time
- Tactics
- Winning moves
- Crazy ideas