Each week I’m intentionally looking out for learning points and inspiration. This week it came from Olympic gold medal snowboarder Shaun White. More on that in a moment. Here’s a quick round up from the week:
- the two remaining SA flats in our block of 5 were furnished (thanks to our friends from Fusion)
- monthly meet up with my Development Discovery group where I facilitated a group mastermind session and mentor Alan Christie relayed the feedback from a recent council parish consultation (an opportunity for locals to ask questions and share feedback on our Devon development). Following a positive pre-app we are about to submit our final planning app. The CGI image of the development looks fantastic (pic attached)
- Chris and I got an offer accepted for refurb flat (this will be one we will gut, refurb, turn in to SA and package up as a ‘done for you’ cash flowing asset)
- VAT analysis and Quickbooks tutorial with our accountantSigned up a new contractor booking
All in all a packed and productive week.
Back to the Flying Tomato (Shaun White’s nickname on account of his big red hair). As a family we’ve been enjoying sitting by the fire from 7-8pm each night for the daily Winter Olympic highlights. All disciplines have been impressive and entertaining to watch but the one that tops it for me is the snowboarding – (a passion both for me and business partner Chris).
On Valentines Day we watched Shaun White win his third Olympic Gold medal in the halfpipe event. I remember watching him burst onto the Olympic scene at the 2006 games but this year I was inspired to research his story a little and here’s what I learned.
As you read through the below I Invite you to think about these takeaways in the context of your life and business business.
Lesson #1 – always strive to be the best version of you
Following his first gold medal win Shaun was focused on returning the next games to prove that the first time wasn’t a fluke.
At the Vancouver 2010 Olympics Shaun had won by the first run. For his third run down the halfpipe the medal was already secured and he could have ridden straight down the middle with his shirt off holding the U.S flag (as some suggested they would have done). But he didn’t. He chose to pull out all the stops and put his all into that final run, pulling off spectacular new tricks and the record breaking score of the event. It displays commitment, professionalism, but more than that, that he was competing against himself, to be the best version of him in that halfpipe.
Lesson #2 – use your failures to bounce back higher
Going into the 2014 Sochi Olympics as a double gold medalist, White was clear favourite. However, the pressure of the event got to him and the favourite failed to even get a podium spot. After the failure, Shaun found a sense of contentedness in the reality of the situation. As he said, ‘winning is great but it doesn’t equal happiness”. He chose not to take himself too seriously and rediscovered his passion and love for the sport. In addition to preparing for these current games, in the last few years he’s launched several new successful business ventures.
He bounced back higher both in business and in the sport, coming back to win gold at these games.
Lesson #3 – be your authentic self
After his first gold medal in 2006 Shaun was asked on numerous occasions to do all kinds of media stunts and fit this so called ‘extreme dude’ persona. With that came the lure of financial rewards but what he was being asked to do just wasn’t the real him, and despite the money on offer he chose to be true to himself and his values, and say no to those opportunities.
It’s lonely at the top and being so far ahead of others can generate some haters. But as his mentor Tony Hawk taught him, ‘you’ve got to learn to ignore the haters’. Shaun has stayed true to being his authentic self. He showed vulnerability and honesty when he didn’t win and many of his haters turned into supporters because they could see that, just like everyone else, he has to work hard at his profession, and sometimes it doesn’t work out.
Lesson #4 – stay grounded and take time to give back
Shaun is very grounded and hasn’t lost sight that every top athlete was once an aspiring one. After the Make a Wish Foundation first approached him to snowboard with a sick child for a day Shaun has granted 20 wishes for Make a Wish Foundation.
Lesson #5 – Enjoy the ride
Shaun is a consummate professional but he is humble and super grateful living the life that he does. He is content in personal and business life and genuinely loves what he does. He remains grateful for what he has and ambitious about the future. He has his sights on competing in the 2020 Summer Olympics for skateboarding (which will be a new event introduced that year). Competitions or not, Shaun will always be snowboarding and skating, because of his love for it.
Lesson #6- Be a legend, change the game
I love this quote from the Shaun White mini documentary-
“To be a legend in a sport you have to change it. You force the rest of the sport to become better because you exist’. – Alyssa Roenigk (sports writer).
Shaun’s example is literally raising the bar in snowboarding and inspiring the next generation.
If you’re interested, here’s a mini documentary about him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqdAhD0CJqw
Have a great week ahead.