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AdvisorBlast – Quick Tips to Accelerate Your Practice
2014 Olympic Special Edition #1

In this issue:  Focus on your own approach and process to earn the right to expect success.

Recently I reconnected with an Olympic synchronized swimmer. She commented that she could never get over how much training Olympic swimmers did.

My quick response was that I could never comprehend how Olympians like synchronized swimmers, divers, ice skaters, and gymnasts did all that training, yet had no control of the ultimate outcome; their results are decided by the subjective opinions of the judges. At least in my sport of swimming, I had the objective clock telling exactly who won, and I didn’t have to rely on someone’s whims or fancies. I said I could not fathom devoting one’s entire sporting life to a pursuit that rested upon someone else’s idiosyncratic evaluation!

When I asked how she coped with that, she said if you let that bother you, you’d either never fully commit to the sport or always look for excuses as to why you didn’t finish better (and usually blame others).

The more I thought, I realized in the world of business, that’s exactly how it is for all of us – all of the time.  No matter how great you might be, how thoroughly prepped you are, and how spectacularly you might perform on the day, the result is left in someone else’s hands – usually the prospect’s.

That’s why we can’t just define success just by deals we close; ultimately we have no control over that final judgment. The only aspect of the process we have absolute control over is ourselves: our own approach, process, preparation, and performance.

Consequently, every Olympian knows how valuable each racing opportunity is and never squanders a single chance to refine and perfect their approach. Even though the outcome will be decided by the subjectivity of judges, the athlete knows that if they take every opportunity possible to pursue excellence, they’ll continue getting closer and closer to it. Your greatest focus should not be on the one who will judge your performance, but on doing everything within your capabilities to earn the right to expect success.

So:

1. Have a clear mental picture of what your ideal performance looks like.
2. Evaluate the steps you need to constantly focus on.
3. Do your best to deliver flawless performances at every opportunity.

Earn the right to expect success!
Paul

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