Failing in Public: What you need to hear [Video]

Have you ever failed publicly? He pulled a hamstring during a career-defining moment.

She fell off a balance beam, even though she was favored to win the gold medal.

He got the flu the day before the biggest race of his life.

Like millions of people around the world, I’ve been consumed by the Olympics…but not for reasons you might think.

I watch, research, and study the Olympic heartbreaks.

Before you think I’m morbid, let me explain: The Olympians have a singular goal, to win gold.

But only ONE person is bestowed with that honor in each competition.

Only one.

We watch each competition with bated breath, knowing a piece of our national pride is on the line (whilst ignoring the fact that we haven’t watched a fencing, equestrian, or archery competition since the last Olympics), hoping we, too, can raise our arms in victory.

But what happens when the unexpected happens?

What happens when Simone Biles falls off the balance beam, when she hasn’t fallen during a competition in over a decade?

If you’re Simone, you get back on.

You finish what you started, even though you know you won’t earn a gold medal.

And that? THAT is what a champion mindset looks like.

Then I asked myself if I do the same.

When I know I won’t hit my goal or get what I wanted after working so hard, will I get back on the horse? Or balance beam? Or my laptop?

Things won’t go as planned.

Sometimes life can be wildly unfair.

We might hit our personal best while—at the same time—someone breaks the world record.

And yet.

Yet we choose to get back on.

Because—unlike the Olympics—business is an infinite game, filled with multiple winners.

We, the lucky ones, get the chance to win a self-defined gold medal.

Every day we compete against the version of who we were yesterday, aiming to be even better tomorrow.

Together, we are champions.