News articles
May 10, 2016
Have you set your ‘PB’ for your business?
Be inspired by the very best athletes
It looks set to be a fantastic summer of sport with Euro 2016 just around the corner, Wimbledon at the end of June and the Rio Olympics hot on its heels in August. Watching the world’s greatest sportsmen and women at the peak of their physical fitness and at the top of their game, achieving amazing sporting feats and smashing their ‘personal bests’ can be hugely inspiring. But many business owners have not achieved their business personal best.
As business owners, there is much we can learn from the athletes we admire. They are powerful examples of what it means to have a dream, to work hard for success, to make sacrifices along the way, to overcome the odds and to triumph on the world’s stage.
But hand on heart, as a business owner, do you feel as though you’ve achieved your personal best or PB for your business?
Do you even have a goal in mind as to what your PB would look like?
Sportsmen and women know exactly what their goals and aspirations are. Whether it’s to be the fastest, the strongest or the greatest, they are single-minded in their determination to achieve their objectives. If you haven’t already done so, get inspired by our greatest sportsmen and women and do some objective setting.
This year’s summer’s sporting events are a great model of success for small business owners. From impressively choreographed opening ceremonies to the individual and team competitions, they are symbolic of what it means to be a successful small business owner.
Still not convinced? Here are 10 things we can learn from the world’s sporting elite:
- Have a game plan – know what your business goals are and how you are going to achieve them. Stick to your game plan and don’t get distracted.
- Believe in yourself – when you believe in yourself, the force of your convictions will spark others’ interest and help you to achieve your goals.
- Exercise discipline – you need discipline to stay on track. Getting up each day and committing to improving your performance and achieving your goals will help you win gold.
- Listen to your coach – sometimes we all need an external perspective. Whether that’s to help solve problems, discussing an approach to a business issue or just a sounding board, a great coach will make all the difference.
- Overcome obstacles – there will be days when you trip up or make mistakes but the trick is to come back from defeat stronger and more determined than ever.
- Teamwork makes a difference – no one exists in a vacuum and you cannot succeed alone. Even athletes competing in individual events have a team behind them.
- Stay the course – no matter how long it takes, stay the course. Never give up on your vision or your goals.
- Step out of your comfort zone – set yourself challenging targets. If you feel uncomfortable or nervous, embrace it. Stepping out of your comfort zone can fuel you towards greatness.
- It’s in the detail – small things matter in sport. The slightest change can add or deduct tenths of a point. It’s the same in business. Pay attention to the small details – be it product or pricing strategy or customer service. You can bet your competitors are paying attention to the small things as well as the bigger picture.
- Do your personal best – at the end of the day, your best is all you can do. No matter what the outcome, be proud that you gave it 110% and tried your very best.
