“Are you kidding me? Bending over to pick up the newspaper in the driveway is a major athletic event for me. I’m so glad it’s not timed.” I’m not referring to athletic conditioning. Consider the athletes’ preparation and performance as a professional. Do you share any characteristics in common with those super-athletes? Can you learn anything from their work ethic and practices?
OLYMPIC JOB REQUIREMENTS
Their journey to the Olympics involves the following dozen attributes. These are the job requirements of an Olympian:
• major work commitment and ethic
• commitment to excellence (aka “to be the BEST”)
• unwavering focus on the prize
• ability to overcome obstacles and setbacks
• ability to deal with pressure and stress
• ability to persevere in spite of physical pain and injury
• engaging in your quest because you love doing it
• positive attitude toward attaining the ultimate outcome
• commitment to years of rigorous training
• serving as a role model for the next generation
• willingness to make significant sacrifices
• obtaining financial support for training and preparation
YOUR JOB REQUIREMENTS
Although the Olympians get to march in the opening ceremonies and you don’t, think of the above list as your job requirements. Do you possess any of those attributes as a professional in academia, business, or a semi-illegal activity on 24? Let me ask this another way: Which of those requirements DO NOT apply to you? They seem relevant to faculty and administrators. If some of them don’t apply, you might need to carefully examine what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.
What are the differences between Olympians and YOU? The next blog will answer that.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
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