What the Olympics Taught Me about Failure

If you’re a business owner, chances are you’re a high-achiever.

As someone driven by achievement for most of my life, I’ve always loved the Olympics.

It’s a reminder every few years that hard work is worth it.

& I’ve proven that over & over in my life.

I finished at the top of my class in high school, got into the college of my dreams, performed in front of 90,000 people on Saturdays in the fall for four years, got a masters degree, started a profitable business…

Success was my main driver for most of my life.

Yes I’m an enneagram 3, thanks for asking.

What I’ve had to learn is this:

The most interesting & inspiring stories are not up & to the right forever.

There are ups & downs.

That’s what they show you in all the stories during the Olympics (and it’s why you love them).

Even the Olympians didn’t succeed at everything they did. They’ve lost, they’ve had injuries, they’ve quit & come back better.

That’s exactly why watching Alysa Liu was so encouraging to me.

She’s only 20 (I’m 30) and she’s figured out something huge:

“Winning isn’t all that, and neither is losing.”

When you’re driven by success, you tend to downplay your wins & over-exaggerate your losses.

I’ve had to work to learn that failure is not a bad thing.

In fact, I’m trying to fail more this year.

Publicly. In front of people.

I’m determined to break 100 in golf this year, and I’m also not actually tied to the outcome of that.

The work on the way there, who I become on the weeks where I shoot 125 again & again & again without seeing a breakthrough, that’s the whole point.

Like Alysa says, “I wouldn’t be here without the rollercoaster.”

The lessons she learned from failures, falls, mistakes… that’s what gave her the strength to win the gold.

Who you become in the process is way more impressive, important, and enjoyable than the goal itself.

Remember that as you’re building your business, and more importantly, your life.

The journey is the point.