A star pro athlete commands the field. When he steps onto the field, he acts like he owns it. A swagger of confidence hovers around him and he ignores all outside stimuli that seeks to downgrade him.
When he plays the field, his opponents sense his presence and his teammates look to him for leadership and guidance. He has flair, authority, strength, balance and composure – at the same time.
As entrepreneurs and business people, we are automatically leaders of our own empire. We play the field of our businesses, even if we’re the only one on our team. Let’s study how the attributes of star athletes can put us on the fast track to personal and business success:
1. Flair – Having flair means possessing natural talent, showing instinctive discernment, and distinctive elegance or style. How does your personality and personal talent exhibit flair for your business? What sets you apart from your competitors? Think about it…write it down.
2. Authority – When you have authority, you command the power to determine, adjudicate, or settle issues. You delegate. You are the one others look to for leadership and accurate information. There is no room for second-guessing yourself – you MUST lead, guide, and make decisions. Who is looking to you for authority? Your clients? Your vendors? Your kids? Your friends? Your social media network? Continue to prepare and develop your authority muscle.
3. Strength – An athlete needs physical AND mental strength to excel; physical strength to command the field, mental strength to work through obstacles and opponents. As a business person, you need physical strength to keep your stamina strong so you can be productive. You also need mental strength to remained focused and overcome setbacks. How are you keeping yourself physically strong on a daily basis? In what ways are you keeping your mind and spirit healthy?
4. Balance – To keep balance in sports or in life in general, it really comes down to making daily, simple decisions.
-Get enough sleep
-Smile at yourself in the mirror when you wake up
-Build in fun to your daily life
-Learn to say NO
-Learn to say yes to the right things
-Nurture key relationships
-Keep a journal of your daily lessons
In what ways do you maintain life balance? Do you make a to-do list for the next day? Do you schedule in fun? Have you learned to say yes and no to the right things?
5. Composure – In sports, an essential key to success is the ability to maintain composure under pressure. An athlete executes his objectives in the face of intense pressure. A business person often operates under pressure, whether it’s financial, difficult clients, or balancing work and family. A few things to remember in the face of pressure: 1) give yourself a moment to collect yourself, 2) assess the specific situation objectively and don’t allow your personal reaction to cloud your judgment, 3) gather information to gain a deeper understanding of the issue, 4) seek the deeper root cause of the issue, 5) take focused action and lead by example. Do you keep your composure under pressure? Do you see the storms of life as obstacles or opportunities?
Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” As you play the field as an athlete or an entrepreneur, remember these simple principles and you’ll always be headed toward victory.
