How To Foster Sustainability: The Olympic Principle

“Greatness is never achieved nor dreams realized apart from great discipline.” -Kay Arthur

In the middle of the Olympic season, we are seeing so many athletes seeking to realize their dreams. Some already have by qualifying for the olympics in the first place. Those dreams have been realized because of all the time they spent training and all the sacrifices they made for the sake of their dream. Their pursuit of their olympic moment was really a pursuit of discipline. 

At The Whiteboard Room, we look at every client as an athlete, setting out with big goals and dreams to win the Olympic gold of their sport. We are the coaches who stand in their corner, devoted to understanding them as a person and an “athlete” and encourage and challenge them to develop the habits and discipline it will take to achieve their goal. 

And more than that, our heart is that through the process, the character that is formed is one that can stand strong under the weight of success. Because it is the person we are rooting for, not the gold medal. It is the story of perseverance and endurance that inspires us and causes us to connect emotionally. We feel something deeply whether they make the podium or take defeat honorably.

Which brings us to our third and final principle of sustainability. 

The Olympic Principle: 

Anything that is worth it takes time and sacrifice.

Developing discipline will never feel good; it is the kind of pain that we endure because we know it has purpose. Sometimes, it is just the discipline of saying no to the short term highs. The things that might feel good in a moment may not contribute to your overall goals or align with your vision for you or your business. Sometimes, it is the discipline of saying yes to the things that may seem harder or take longer, but will pay out more over time. Your disciplined choices speak to the dedication you have toward your goals and dreams. 

At some point, you have to make a commitment to developing discipline. As Hannah Brencher says, you have to start taking “small steps on repeat.” Discipline is not all or nothing. It is about daily choices and letting those choices build on each other. It is also about knowing when to show yourself grace.

Here are a few ways you capitalize on the Olympic Principal:

1. Understand your motivation.

   You should know, write down, and be able to articulate your personal why behind what you do. Sustainability happens when we have a motivation that is bigger than a paycheck or follower count. You have to have a why that is so compelling to you that you would do it even if it meant only one person would be impacted by it.

2. Think of one step you could take to be more disciplined. 

   Just start with one. One step. One area in which you need to grow. And when you think of that one thing, make a plan. If you need to drink more water, start with one glass at the same time every day. If you want to start an exercise routine, start with 5 minutes every morning. Think small adjustments rather than cosmic shifts.

3. Make sure you are evaluating often. 

   It is very easy to make a plan or make goals and then never look at them again. We write our why or our mission and vision statements and then make decisions without looking at them. We find ourselves taking meetings in times we’ve blocked off for rest. We start saying yes to things we shouldn't. But if you evaluate often, you only have to make minor course adjustments instead of an overhaul of all your plans. 

As always, we are in your corner!