The 8 Life Lessons the Summer Olympics Can Teach Us

Millions of people around the globe wait for the time in which the Summer Olympics makes its appearance every four years, showcasing the best, strongest athletes from countless countries. These Olympic games are in the spotlight of the entire world for a few weeks, and while many people absolutely love watching the games, there are others who couldn’t care less or care more about watching their professional sports team’s season.

Whether you love or hate the Olympics, there are many life lessons that we can learn from the Olympic games. Check out my 8 favorite lessons below!

Training + Focus + Self-Discipline = Success! This is a formula that every serious athlete knows. They are dedicated individuals who put their distractions to the side, no matter how tempting they might be. We should do the same and focus our energy, time, and passion on the things that really matter to us – our friends, family, job, hobbies, and anything else that takes importance in our lives.

Defeat Isn’t Always a Bad Thing – Defeat doesn’t have to mean that we’re not cut out for accomplishing what we’ve set out to do. In fact, defeat can be a powerful tool for motivating us to succeed. So don’t be afraid to raise the bar to see how far you can go – if you fail, pick yourself back up, train some more, and try again!

Cooperation Is Vital to Success – There are some people who thrive in a teamwork setting, and there are others who prefer to “go it alone.” While there’s nothing wrong with either method, working together is truly essential to achieve your goals. Even those who participate in individual sports know that they must cooperate with their trainers, nutritionists, and everyone else who can help them be successful. Successful individuals and teams realize that it is vital to use everyone’s individual strengths to reach their goals!

You Have to Work For What You Really Want – You know the old adage, “Anything worth having is worth fighting for,” right? Well, those words weren’t said just because they sound pretty together in a sentence! The goals and dreams worth having in life are usually hard to achieve, and you must be willing to risk failure and face any of your fears and insecurities to reach those goals. Trust me – it will be so worth it once you get there. Just look at the sheer joy that lights up the athletes’ faces whenever they win the gold medal. If that isn’t proof, then I don’t know what is!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help – A little humility goes a long way in life, and this is also true when it comes to accomplishing your goals. Admitting that you don’t have all the answers doesn’t mean that you’re inferior! Sometimes you need to seek others’ assistance in order to really achieve your goals. So don’t let your pride get in your way – have a humble, flexible, and positive attitude, and you can go far!

You Can’t (and Shouldn’t) Please Everyone – This is sometimes very hard to accept (and takes YEARS to accept sometimes) for those who are kindhearted and want to make everyone happy. Unfortunately, sometimes you just need to face the harsh reality that no matter what you do, you will have people who are against you or what you are setting out to do. Conversely, you’re bound to have supporters cheering you on in your endeavors. Stop trying to please everyone – remember, it’s YOUR happiness that truly matters!

Losing Doesn’t Make You a Failure – While losing or failure can bring great disappointment to anyone, it shouldn’t mean that you yourself are a failure. Don’t let a loss or setback discourage you; learn from your mistakes and try again!

It’s ALL About the Attitude – There are always positive and negative aspects when it comes to pretty much everything in life. You must remember that YOU are the one who makes the choice on whether you’ll focus on the positive or the negative attributes. I for one hope you choose to adopt a positive attitude and hold your head up high when the going gets rough from time to time!

If you’re not a fan of the Olympics at all but like sports, you can easily draw these lessons from your favorite athletes and teams to give you inspiration in all of your endeavors. Just remember – it takes humility, hard work, and a positive attitude to achieve your goals!

If you would like to learn more about me, please visit www.dawnmushill.com or email me at dawn@dawnmushill.com. Make it a great day!