The Paris Olympics ended on Sunday with the closing ceremony and a final medal count of 40 gold medals for the US, tied with China for most golds.  The US also took home 44 silver and 42 bronze medals for a total of 126 medals, the most in the world.  I had a wonderful time watching the events, as well as seeing the world come together in a spirit of cooperation and the pursuit of excellence.

I love the Olympics.  I always have.  In fact, I’ve been to see two different Olympic Games!  I went to the Atlantic games in 1996 and saw thirteen events in fourteen days, including Michael Johnson and his golden sneakers, and women’s field hockey, where a friend of my cousin was playing.  The field hockey team lost, but we were glad to be there to support a friend of a friend, as well as the whole team.  I also went to the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, and have skied at a few different Olympic ski trails, including in Norway and Salt Lake City.  I even offered to volunteer at the games once, but they already had all the volunteers that they needed!

The reason that I love the Olympic games so much is the spirit of camaraderie.  Everybody is rooting for somebody, and there is an environment of encouragement and support.  For example, the last-place finisher in men’s triathlon got high fives from everyone along the route.  The Olympics just brings joy to people – it’s the values and spirit of integrity, as cheating is heavily penalized.

There are a number of commonalities between the Olympics and your business.  Like an athlete, workers and entrepreneurs strive for years to reach their peak potential and achieve success.  But the Olympics are also a complicated logistical process, much like a business can be.  There is a reason cities have to build a whole Olympic village!  The athletes have to be housed and fed, but the host city also has to worry about housing and feeding for the spectators, the judges, and the volunteers.  Scheduling events and ticket prices are also a complicated process, both for the attendees and for the organizers.  In Atlanta, we had to create a whole computer program to try and make our schedule to view the events.  There have been many advances in computing over the past 28 years, but the process itself is still extremely complicated.  Which events should go on which days to maximize athletic performance as well as viewing?  What should be the ticket prices to make sure that they are accessible but also can help fund the games.  Organizers also have to figure out the best place to hold each individual event, which is why the 2024 sailing events are being held in Marseille and the surfing events are being held in Tahiti!

If you are feeling overwhelmed with all the logistical things you need to do for your business, remember that if the Olympics can do it, so can you.  But also, remember that the Olympics are an enormous endeavor that requires the partnership and help of thousands of people – the IOC, the host city, the administration for each sport, and 45,000 volunteers!  So don’t be afraid to reach out for help and advice.  Take it from the relay races – it takes teamwork to succeed.  

Also, like every Olympian, your heath is important – both physical and mental.  If you or one of your team gets sick, your business will suffer.  So make sure that you take care of yourself and your team, giving everyone time to recover.

Your business also doesn’t end when you get a gold medal.  There is always more to strive for.  If you want to retire, do it on your terms and no one else’s, just like an Olympian.