Commitment, Thy Name Is Michael Phelps

My husband Andy and I are having a great time watching the Beijing Olympics this year. Thank goodness for TiVo!

Andy is an official Olympics junkie, and I would call myself an avid fan.

There's just something so inspiring about the level of commitment and dedication to perfection that these athletes have -- you'd have to be lacking a pulse to NOT be inspired by these amazing people and their captivating stories.

There are so many magnificent athletes in these games, but oh my goodness how can you not be impressed by the outrageous commitment of Michael Phelps? The guy is truly extraordinary, and I just love watching him win.

I was getting a massage this morning, and, being a talker, we tend to talk throughout. Today's topics was largely around the Olympics, and I thought I'd share this mini download I received.

There are essentially only 3 factors that separate Olympic champions from everyone else. Do you know what they are? If not, I'm gonna tell you, because it's a HUGE lesson in success to realize this.




1. Clearly defined goal.

Take Michael Phelps for example. He doesn't just have a goal of winning a gold medal...heck, he doesn't even have a goal of winning the MOST gold medals by a single athlete (done!) or the most gold medals in a single Olympics (nearly done!). He also has very specific goals for each event -- for example, a new world record (done! multiple times!) or what time he wants to beat. Did you see the butterfly swim where he won the gold and clearly looked disappointed? His goggles had filled with water, and he didn't hit the specific target he wanted to hit, so he was bummed about that. Are you getting the magnitude of this? The guy just won a GOLD MEDAL and was disappointed! Now that's an impressive commitment to a specific goal.

2. Absolute commitment.

Most of us can't possibly imagine living the kind of life these athletes live while training for the Olympics. Michael Phelps says he swims, eats and sleeps. Clearly, he's not exaggerating, because the guy is outperforming virtually every swimmer alive. Absolute commitment means doing whatever it takes, no matter what, for as long as it takes. Period. How often do "average" people give up when the going gets tough? It is only your commitment that allows you to focus unwaveringly on your clearly defined goal. Definitely not a skill the average person has mastered.

3. Complete ability to be in the moment when it counts.

I love watching Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh play beach volleyball. And I was asking myself WHY I loved watching them so much. I realized it's because they are so IN IT, every moment! Even when one of them makes a mistake or misses a shot, they high-five (low-five, usually) and offer encouraging words. And they almost never get into a slump, because they stay in the moment. When I walked on hot coals (about 1300 degrees, to be more specific), I remember the instructor telling us during prep time: you MUST stay focused on what you're doing! You cannot let your mind wander - that is how people get burned! These two gals have mastered the art of staying in the moment when it counts (e.g., during a game) and I would venture to say Michael Phelps and ALL Olympic champions have as well.




Can that really be it? Just 3 things separate YOU from the world's greatest Olympic athletes? (Not to mention, the most successful people in the world)

If that's true, that means there are only 3 things for YOU to do in order to accomplish ANYTHING:

1. Set a clearly defined goal
2. Make the absolute commitment
3. Stay in the moment when it counts

Now let's see what YOU can accomplish!