For the past two weeks I have been motivated, inspired, and sometimes saddened by the events that unfurled in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. For me it was a needed oasis from the political race and a positive break from all the negative media surrounding the candidates. The games did not disappoint as there were plenty of awe-inspiring feats of greatness. Now, after the hoopla has subsided I have reflected on what it means to me and hopefully can offer a few bits of wisdom that you my blog readers can use to capture your brilliance.

Three inspiring and wisdom garnering moments of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

1. Purpose
Minus the many commercial interruptions during the opening ceremony, my first feel-good moment was seeing Michael Phelps carry the flag for the United States. He was chosen by his fellow US athletes, due possibly to his new-found purpose in life and being a true team member, rather than his amazing feat of being the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time. By the end of the swimming competition, Michael out shined his field capturing a total of 23 gold medals over the span of his career. Apparently being clear on his purpose helped him be clear on his swimming ability. I am betting the same can be said for us!

Lesson Learned: Each of us has a purpose in life that goes beyond awards and achievements.

Question: What is your purpose? What are you doing to find and then fulfill that purpose?

2. Embracing the paradox of competition and collaboration
Watching Simone Biles and Ali Raisman compete for the all-around gymnastics title was on the top of my list of must see competitions. The teammates could have been rivals however they turned the usual on its head and supported each other by holding hands as they walked from event to event. Bob Costas, in the late night interview after their Gold and Silver victory, commented that competitors holding hands is an “unusual dynamic in sports!” Their comment back, “It is such a stressful day and we just kept going to each other and telling each other that we loved each other and giving each other hugs, it is something you need in that kind of pressure.” I believe these young women are wise beyond their years. Simone Biles is reported to have said she was happier that Ali won silver than her achieving gold. Now that is true collaboration!

Lesson Learned: Real victory comes from competition AND collaboration with a big dose of support.

Question: How are you using both competition and collaboration to bring out the best in yourself and others? Who is supporting you? How are you supporting others?

3. Work Hard – Celebrate Smart

I really didn’t want to write about this one but would be remiss if I did not. It seemed every person I spoke with last week had a definite opinion on the swimmers’ late night celebration and follow-up fib. The lessons on this one could go on and on. I decided to land on the obvious, victory comes with hard work and commitment in all aspects of life. Less obvious, celebration is more important than we think. Acknowledging our hard work and accomplishments provide an opportunity to pause and reflect on how we got to this point. Reflections on what we want to repeat and what we may want to do differently the next time around. All this adds to our wisdom and brilliance. My guess and hope is that some young Olympians are wishing they had done more reflecting than partying in their celebrations.

Lesson Learned: Set your mind towards a goal and work diligently towards achieving it, then celebrate making sure the celebration includes time to reflect.

Questions to Ponder: How are you doing on your goal attainment? What does it mean to be working toward the desired goal? How has working on the goal increased your wisdom and purpose in life?

Good luck to you as you work to achieve your Olympic sized dreams and goals and while doing so, remember to pursue your passion, compete AND collaborate plus provide others needed support. Finally, celebrate your victory with solid reflection time.

Here’s to brilliant gold in your future!