27. Five Business Lessons from the Paris Olympics 2024

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5 Business Lessons from Paris Olympics 2024

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We just wrapped up watching the Olympic games and there were so many business lessons that I was reminded of throughout watching these elite athletes! Today, I’m talking about 5 business lessons from the Paris Olympic Games 2024!

It was truly an amazing couple of weeks watching these athletes compete at the highest level and come out on top. You can find lessons nearly anywhere you look and there were so many takeaways that I can relate back to business and what success can look like.

1. Progress over perfection. While women’s gymnastics was competing, Simone Biles’ extremely difficult tricks reminded me that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Simone’s landings on the most difficult vaults in women’s gymnastics were not perfect. In fact, one of the announcers said that on one of her vaults she actually plans for a step at the end to ensure that she lands safely. Her landings weren’t perfect, but the degree of difficulty for the skills that she performs is astronomical. She is the greatest of all time. You are doing something that is so hard: you are in business. Just like Simone, you don’t have to stick every landing or close every deal. It’s ok to prepare for that extra step if you will. We need to imperfect action in our businesses so that we make progress. Progress is the GOAT in business.
2. Don’t be afraid to show your enthusiasm for your work! Snoop Dogg was a highlight of the Olympic games for me. His enthusiasm and excitement for the athletes was authentic. He has successfully “rebranded” himself from Gangsta Rapper to America’s Favorite Grandpa and his light is shining! Be a Snoop D-o-double G - be authentic and show your excitement for what you do, and don’t even look the direction of the naysayers - we don’t have time for that!
3. Use what you’ve got. We don’t need the fanciest technology. We just have to do the work. Take it from Turkey’s shooter Yusuf Dikec who won silver wearing regular glasses with his non-shooting hand in his pocket. I think so many times we get caught up in having the fanciest website, technology, and gear, but the truth is we don’t need that stuff most of the time. We sometimes spend too much time comparing ourselves to “what everyone else has” (insert eyeroll because if you are watching social media, remember that those are highlight reels, not actual real life.) We should use what we have and get to work.
4. Boundaries and mental health are important. Back to the GOAT. Simone Biles suffered from some mental health issues in 2021 driving her to make the difficult decision not to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. She openly discussed how she took time off from gymnastics, focused on her mental health, and sought out therapy. She prioritized her health, a boundary we all should have in place, and came back better than ever. Ladies, especially you moms, it is easy to get in the grind of always working, always grinding, always putting everyone else first. But this proof is here - when we rest, prioritize our health, and put good boundaries in place, we will be able to perform and compete in our businesses at a higher level. Simone proved that.
5. Being yourself is the best. Ilona Maher is the perfect example. She skyrocketed to social media fame after she and her teammates won Bronze in women’s rugby. She is a beautiful, strong, powerful woman who is sensitive and so hilarious. She has candidly talked about body image and assumptions people make about her. She’s made us laugh and she’s made us cry. She’s an excellent reminder to be YOU and to do business your way. Your business doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s, just like your body doesn’t look like everyone else’s. If social media isn’t your thing and you don’t feel called to show up there, then don’t. Your business can look however you want it to look. If you want to be online only, then do that. Build a strategy that is in line with your values and goals. Building a business that is authentic to you, your family, your values is most important.

There were so many lessons from the Olympics but these were my top 5. They were such good reminders for me, and I hope that they are good reminders and lessons for you too. We have to keep our eyes looking at the big picture and it’s so easy to get caught up in the minutia of owning a business and/or leading a team that we often forget there is a forest because we are stuck inspecting the trees.

Thank you again for joining me for this episode of Sales & Business Strategy for Women! Please follow this show so you don’t miss any episodes!

XO,

Lindsay Fletcher

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