No doubt if you’ve read any news medium in the past few days, the story of Michael Phelps‘ incredible gold medal run at the Olympics in Beijing. In the U.S. especially, his 8 gold medals is already becoming a legend. In reading about his extreme focus and physical determination I’ve come to the conclusion that I do not have what it takes to reach that level of athleticism. It is just not in me. So what, then, can we mere mortals learn from his - and every other Olympic athlete’s - experiences and successes?
Linda Robertson in an article for the Miami Herald provides great insight:
“Five years ago, when Phelps first plotted his record, it seemed like a presumptuous, wacky fantasy. He was like a baseball player declaring he would break Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. He was like an astronaut declaring he would step foot on Mars.
Once in a while we need someone who doesn’t ask why, but why not?”
Why not? I used to have a sign posted on the walls of my office that said “How can we?” Tired of negative, “we can’t” attitudes, I was trying to change the conversations.
At a recent meeting with one of my FABULOUS South African mentees, she mentioned something they wanted to do by then brushed it off as absurd. We can’t. I of course asked the question: why not? She thought about it for a minute. Yes, why not? We proceeded to work through the question and found at the end that it was, indeed something they could consider doing. We even mapped out a plan of how to do it.
So my challenge to you this week, this month, this year is to listen to yourself. If and when you find yourself saying “We can’t” change the dialog. Think in terms of “How can we?” and see what opportunities emerge.
