Has it really been 4 years since London 2012? This year’s Olympic Games in Rio have come and gone in what feels like a flash of gold, silver and bronze! Team GB have cleaned up and thanks to their efforts the nation is now brimming with pride (and shiny Olympic medals).
The Olympic flame has now been extinguished but Team GB can still bask in the warm glow of glory. As lowly spectators, we watched the athletes, cheered them on and shared their highs and lows from the comfort of our sofas. However, were we the missing valuable lessons the competition was teaching us?
In life, there are always lessons to be learned and most experiences can teach us at least something. The Olympics are no exception; not only are they a great source of inspiration, but we can learn from them. When it comes to your career, success is all about finding out what works, what doesn’t and moving forward whilst implementing what we have learned. So, what lessons do Team GB have to teach us about work?
Keep at it
Giving up gets you nowhere. Let’s take for instance Team GB’s very own Jason Kenny. In 2008, at the Beijing Olympics, he was pipped to the post in the Men’s Individual Sprint cycling event, taking away a silver medal instead of the coveted gold. Getting a silver medal at the Olympics is an impressive accolade as it is, but did Jason give up? No. He kept at it, training hard, and in 2012 he took home gold in the same event. Surely that’s enough, you say? Nope. This year, Jason grabbed gold once more in the same event and others, too.
The lesson to learn here is pretty simple, work hard and keep going. If things get tough, or you don’t get where you want to be in your career right away, don’t quit. Even if everything seems to be going really well, it’s no excuse to rest on your laurels! Carrying on the hard work will make sure you reach and stay at the top!
Experience isn’t everything
Look at Wales’ own Jade Jones. AKA the first ever Briton to win a gold medal in Taekwondo at the Olympics. Some athletes need to find their feet when it comes to the Olympics, it takes a few goes before they reach their peak. Not Jade, her first Olympic outing was in 2012, where she fought her way to a gold. Beginner’s luck? Apparently not, as Jade once more netted a gold medal in the women’s 57kg category – go, girl!
So, whether you’re a graduate embarking on your career or just new to an industry, your lack of experience needn’t hold you back. Experience is important, but your attitude, the effort you put in, your skills and your personality can all have an equally massive impact on your success in the work arena.
A good team can make all the difference
Some things you can do on your own, but a lot of things are much easier with a great team behind you. At Rio 2016, Great Britain’s competitors celebrated some real team successes. These include Kate Archibald, Elinor Barker, Joanna Rowsell and Laura Trott’s impressive victory in the Women’s Team Pursuit cycling event. Team GB also saw gold in hockey, rowing and cycling team events, and silver for teams competing in rugby, swimming and dressage.
Good teamwork can do wonders for a business as a whole. However, as an individual, having the support of a team behind you can boost your motivation, skill set and knowledge. Respecting your co-workers and developing your teamwork skills could make all the difference in moving your career forward.
Sometimes you fall
With his bronze and silver wins in the gymnastics at London 2012, the nation had high hopes for Louis Smith in Rio. We all gasped in horror when he fell from the pommel horse in the gymnastics team final, meaning that the team’s medal hopes sadly went out the window.
In work, and life in general, sometimes we fall. It’s OK, we’re only human. Failure and setbacks can be disheartening, but they’re not the end of the world. You stand up, brush yourself off and continue until you reach your goals. Learn from mistakes and rejection, take everything you can from the experience to make yourself stronger and better. You’ll get there!
You’ll get back up again
Trust us. Look at man of the moment, Mo Farah – everyone thought that he was some sort of invincible machine. That was until part way through the men’s 10,000m final when Mo took a less than graceful tumble on the track. With his eye on the prize, Mo got back up and finished the race, which is impressive in itself. What’s even more amazing is that he still managed to win gold!
Accepting that failure is part of success is one thing, but keep in mind that you WILL overcome whatever gets in your way. Obstacles are there to test us, however very few things are truly impossible. Positivity is key when facing adversity; with the right attitude, nothing will keep you down forever.
It’s hard work, but it’s worth it in the end
Years of training come rain or shine for our Team GB athletes paid off – Great Britain came second overall in the medals table at the Rio Olympics. This included 27 gold medals, 23 silver and 17 bronze. It’s enough to make anyone feel a little patriotic! For the athletes, the medals symbolise that all their training, blood, sweat and tears have all been worth it.
For you, your ‘gold medal’ may be a promotion, making a huge sale or absolutely smashing that big presentation. Whatever your goal is, hard work, perseverance and positivity aren’t always the easiest things to maintain and you may come across bumps along the way. Wherever your journey to success takes you, once you get there all the hardship will be worth it.
Bring on Tokyo!
