What Olympic sport do you enjoy watching the most?
When I was younger, the Olympic sport that captured my fancy was the women’s ice skating competition. I was caught up in all of it: the outfits, the music, the grace and ease with which they skated. They made it look so effortless.
Then, I went ice skating for the first time. Barely able to stand, much less skate, my appreciation grew as I fully realized the amount of athleticism at the core of the programs: the jumps, the spins, all the technical requirements. I saw the skaters in a new light. I had more empathy for those who fell. I was cheering more for those who got up and kept going.
That realization didn’t just inform my view of ice skating but of all the Olympic sports and spilled over into how I view others and their work. We encounter so many people each day at different places on their employment journey. What seems like an easy, effortless job requires skill. Is the person new at their job, working on acquiring a new skill, like I was when I first tried ice skating? Am I practicing patience with them? Am I grateful for their effort?
What if we approached every skill we are learning with the focus of an Olympic athlete. Going all in on effort and getting back up and finishing professionally even when things don’t go well. Then, all those hours spent watching the Olympics are worth it, because we learned from it and applied it.
We'd love to hear from you!