Tue, April 27, 2010 - 8:47:10

What Business People Can Learn from Olympic Gold Medalist, Evan Lysacek

As we mention in our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, Robin is an avid figure skater.  So, when we came across a story in the Wall Street Journal about men’s figure skating champion Evan Lysacek’s journey to the top of his sport, we had to read on.  And as we discovered, Evan and Robin have more in common than just skating.  In fact, they both reached the peak of their respective professions by “thinking small.”

After a disastrous performance at the Torino Games in 2006, Lysacek returned to his sport with newfound commitment and used his past difficulties as a way to fuel his competitive spirit.  “Whenever something would go wrong, I’d just add it to my tool belt of experiences,” Lysacek tells the Wall Street Journal, “I’d remind myself of that moment in Torino when I could have given up, but didn’t.”

It’s a classic example of the way in which optimists react to setbacks.  Instead of berating himself for his lack of success, as a pessimist might, Lysecek turned his failure into a learning experience and vowed to try again—and do better next time.

With practice and perseverance, Lysacek nurtured his talents, and within four years, became a powerful force in the skating world.  And although not all of us have gold medal dreams, it’s a mindset that can work in a wide range of areas, particularly business.  In fact, WSJ columnist Alexandra Levitt writes, “Accomplished career changers tend to chip away at their new fields a little at a time, and when circumstances swing out of their favor, they never lose sight of the end goal.”

It’s what Robin calls “skating your program:” being conscious of where you are at every moment and maintaining intense focus.  Inevitably, there will be times when things just don’t go your way—you fall down, your ideas are rejected, or you just have a bad day.  But, it’s the ability to maintain your momentum and stay in the moment, instead of dwelling upon your missteps, that can help you win in the end. 

Posted by Linda and Robin