It’s not just the accomplishment that makes a real winner.
The Olympics are not just about winning. Yes, athletes compete to win, and their goal is to take the gold, but it’s much more than just a medal. Hopefully, that ribbon around their neck speaks not just to athleticism, but to character.
Boyd Matheson, host of KSL Radio’s Inside Sources, shared the marks of a “real” winner and how we can better celebrate the personal victories we experience in everyday life.
The Olympics: More Than Just Games
The Olympics are a worldwide event that brings people and families together. It’s an opportunity to take an aspect of these big games and find a life lesson that we can learn from a real winner.
“There are so many of those that are going to play out over the next several weeks. You’ll have the comeback story. You’ll have the old athlete with one last shot at glory. All of those things that will play out, but all the stories are usually family and community connected,” said Boyd.
A Real Winner is Resilient
When asked to boil down some key characteristics of a real winner, Boyd’s first word was resilience.
He quoted George Patton, saying, “it’s not how high you soar, but it’s how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” This resilience is evident in every single one of these athletes who have had the ups and downs, who have come back from big injuries, devastating loss, family challenges, and even some of these athletes who don’t have countries anymore.
A Real Winner is Powerfully Present
Boyd believes another characteristic of a real winner is being powerfully present. It’s all about being here now, right now. Extraordinary athletes have that ability to just be present. They’re not worried about a mistake they just made. They’re not worried about a bad call by the referee. They’re not worried about the stress of making the next shot or getting the next serve in.
Michael Jordan, renowned for his athletic and mental gifts, had the real gift of being powerfully present. He would always say the game doesn’t care. The game doesn’t care what just happened. The game doesn’t care about what’s next. Can you be powerfully present in the moment? That’s where all of those Olympic moments actually happen.
A Real Winner Has No Room for Excuses
Real winners also know how to bench excuses. They acknowledge their mistakes and move forward.
As Boyd puts it, “you can make excuses or you can make progress, but you can’t make both.” This is a lesson that applies to every station, every position, every title… motherhood and beyond.
Real Winners “Know Thyself”
Real winners know themselves. This used to be the motto at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. It’s about understanding who you are and your strengths, but it’s also recognizing your weaknesses. People fail not because they don’t have the right strengths or abilities. They fail because their weaknesses become the dominant force in their behavior.
Celebrating the Characteristics of a Real Winner
So, how can we go about celebrating these characteristics in our everyday life? Boyd suggested praising in the form of a question. Instead of making statements like “you’re the best,” ask a question. “What were you thinking as you saw that ball sailing into the top corner of the goal? How did you feel knowing you had just won that game for your team?” This changes the focus from the act to the individual, to the athlete.
Another way to celebrate is to acknowledge the effort. Even if they didn’t win the prize or get first or accomplish a big goal, acknowledge the effort and say, “wow, that was Olympic effort you gave today. I saw you work that extra hour. I saw you really pay the price to pass that test.”
Lastly, tell them their story. As you watch your child go through a project for school or a big competition, tell them their story. Narrate what you saw and what you felt in them. That connects the dots and all the values we just celebrated.
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