I'm feeling a bit sleep deprived this week.
The Olympics has a spell on me, and it won't let go.
I've surprised myself with the grab it's held, and here are some of the golden nuggets that I take from it.
Granted these Olympians are among the most well-trained, strongest, and healthiest of humans.
Yet I'm just as intrigued by the up-close-and personal interviews.
There's a mindset and mental practice, that is paramount to their success, which I find so fascinating.
These lessons can be applied to life.
I love the commercial about the downhill skier who drew posters of herself as an Olympic medalist.
The commercial begins by telling that little anecdote, and then the still shot of the drawing becomes animated, and morphs into a moving version of the sketch.
The point is that this young person recognized her passion at a very early age, and followed her heart to make that happen.
A goal is set at that point.
The next chapter of life for her is focused on that goal.
She filled her formative years with whatever it took to realize that dream.
No doubt there was hard work, money spent, and sacrifices made along the way.
But I noticed one common thread in all the interviews with these athletes.
They kept their eye on the ball, so to speak, and seemed almost programmed to see through to their goal.
This requires an ability to maintain a focus, and to filter out that which isn't part of the plan.
This, to me, takes as much practice and tenacity as mastering the sport itself.
This model is so transferable to life, whether it's about our personal goals, our professional goals, or our global intentions.
When we are passionate about a vision, it takes on a visceral quality that pumps through our veins.
We can hold it as a core value, and feed that vision with everything we think and do.
And when we do this, and act upon it, I do believe that we reach our goals.
We can do great things with our lives and in our world.
We can take the gold!