“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.”

– Kerri Walsh

Let’s just cut to the chase. Olympians know how to set goals and reach them. If there were ever a time to be inspired by something, someone, the Olympics is that thing and those someones, well, pick an athlete. Any athlete you like.

The idea here is to be inspired by these people, not discouraged and overcome with thoughts like “I could never do the 50 fly in 23 seconds.”  True. These people are superhuman. Let’s give them that. But each of us are gifted in amazing ways and we do ourselves a disservice by not tapping into those gifts and getting serious about what unique skills we have to offer the world and our places of work.

So. Let’s be straight. Let’s be inspired by the stories we hear about these athletes. Let’s make full note of all their hard work and not be afraid of putting in a little of our own. We want to be the best we can be, right? Let’s set goals – 2012 Olympic style. Here’s how:

1. Get your mind right.
It’s a mental game. All athletes will tell you that. No matter how much talent you have, if you don’t have the mental capacity to focus on your end goal and the knowledge that positive is the only way to be, you’ve lost before you’ve even begun. Train your mind in these ways by getting rid of negative self-talk and setting and tracking your goals. Revisit these goals every day, repeat them in your mind, act on them. Get your head in the game. Let the rest follow.

2. Get a little help from your friends.
Olympic athletes have a team of people. It’s not just a one person act. [Gymnasts gets down off the bars. Hugs about 12 people. Camera zooms in on Mom and Dad, owner, coach. Camera zooms back in on gymnast hugging more people.] You know what we’re talking about. No woman is an island. Call on your friends, your co-workers, your manager. Goals should be open and feedback on those goals should come from both you and others and should be consistent and happening in real-time.

3. Own it for crying out loud!
At the end of the day you have to take responsibility for your performance – both your successes and your failures. And failure is good. I repeat: Learn to fail and like it! What failing means more times than not, is that you tried to do something that was hard for you and that you need a little more work at it. Where is the need for shame in that? We don’t see it. What we need is to be able to understand and grasp the “why” behind the mistakes we make. That is key in moving on from them and becoming better at what we do! Gather up your failures and accomplishments, along with your dreams, and hold them all tight like the precious things they are. They are what make you, you.

Are you feeling us? Feeling that 2012 Olympic flow?