The end is coming. An ending that will not be resisted or contested although in time, the preceding period will be somewhat missed. On Friday night in Vancouver, thousands of Olympians from around the world will declare an end to their four year training session and shout to the world, “Game On!!” The Winter Olympics will begin.

Saying “good-bye” to four years of preparation for, in some cases, a few minutes (or even seconds!) of performing is an overwhelming transition zone. Think about that. Most of us go to a job each day where we’re expected to perform all the time with very little training. The Olympians we’ll watch over the next two weeks train 99.9% of the time for a very short opportunity to perform. If you work in sales for a living, imagine training for four years in preparation for one sales call! How would that frame this opportunity for you?

For some of the participating Olympians, the Opening Ceremony will simply challenge them to stay focused on the task. You see, athletes don’t just leave the Olympic Village a few minutes before show time and march. Protocol, security and waiting can account for several hours of time and energy that frankly could be spent assisting your performance in other ways like relaxing and recovering. Some top athletes will try to employ strategies to participate in the Opening Ceremony without compromising what they’re coming to Vancouver to do. IPods, food and sitting (as opposed to standing) can help. Their self-talk might sound something like this:

“Don’t stray too far from the goal.”
“Don’t have too much fun.”
“Stay focused.”
“Winning is Job 1.”

But for many athletes, the Opening Ceremony IS the victory. Putting on your country’s colors, marching into a stadium packed full of Olympic fans in front of a global viewing audience and telling the world, “Tonight, I am on equal footing with the very best in the world” will become an indelible memory these athletes will share with friends and family for the rest of their lives. Their participation will symbolize fun, camaraderie, sportsmanship and process to name a few. For some, this will be their podium moment in life.

When it comes to the Opening Ceremony, there is no right or wrong to athlete participation. It’s the variety of perspectives that makes the Opening Ceremony so interesting and as viewing participants, we want all of them! During my first Opening Ceremony in Barcelona in 1992, my participation and pride connected to my sport of whitewater canoe/kayak returning to the Olympic program for the first time in 20 years. There was a special bond that evening between the canoe/kayak athletes from all the different countries that equaled the bond I felt with the other U.S. athletes. This helped me to scale the enormity of the event and frame in it in a way that was uniquely mine.

To that end, Friday night will be LOADED with different perspectives! Seeing what gold medal favorite and U.S. Olympic skier, Lindsey Vonn, brings to the Opening Ceremonies as she battles an injury that threatens her Games participation is going to be fascinating. But as I watch the Opening Ceremony from Vancouver, I can be 100% certain of one thing – I will be reminded that the spirit and goodwill of the event is both a gift to our society and a mirror that reflects the best side of humanity.

Enjoy the Games!

It’s cool to see one my favorite bloggers, Chris Brogan, not only embracing this concept but promoting it to others. And of course these terrific mediums of communication allow us to share our goals and increase public accountability for them like never before. So I’m ready to roll out my part of the Brogan challenge.

My 3 Words for 2010: Edges, Energy, Elite

Edges – This word directly relates to my work leading USA Canoe/Kayak through its transition period. With just about anything canoe/kayak, the sport is often perceived as challenging to do and difficult to access (not true, by the way.) Trying to lead, grow or change our interest in the sport from the “center of the circle” is nearly impossible – most people outside of our circle who we want to bring to the inside will not make the time or the effort to find us. So, I’m going to the edges of our circle to meet and engage such people at the edges of their respective circles. At these edges is where we’ll find new participants, sponsors and stakeholders who understand this and are stepping out to their own edges. The edges are where life gets interesting, the new rules are created and where the shape of your circle becomes changeable. Time at the Edges = Rewarding Opportunities

Energy – There are two elements here for me in 2010. First, to live the life I want to live and best serve the relationships that matter to me most. Time to do it all is NOT the issue – energy is. Being more attentive to my entire energy system and how I fuel it is a huge piece to my success, happiness and effectiveness. Second, our home in Tennessee is going to become our personal center for better understanding alternative energy opportunities. I’m going to absorb all that I can about options like solar and wind and take steps to integrate them into our lives.

Elite – This is the word that comes from “What I cold have done better in 2009.” Since retiring from top level competition after the Athens Olympic Games, I figured it was time to adjust my life to fit the flow of peeps similar to my age, responsibility, etc. I kind of distanced myself from the “world’s best” process which I used so effectively in my competitive paddling years. Big mistake. My “Elite” edge is a part of my DNA and putting it out to pasture is crazy. Elite is a belief system that works well for a whole lot of other things besides racing well on the river. I’m glad to have it back into my “everyday lifestyle.”

The beauty of 3 words is that they’re a guide that simplifies your best self. So, what are you waiting for? What are your 3 words?

Change doesn’t come easy nor does it come fast. But there’s nothing like being a part of it, particularly when you care about what you’re changing and you can see results along the way. With that in mind, this video below and link to a letter from USA Canoe/Kayak’s Board Chairman, David Backer, reflect that sentiment – please take a moment to check it out and of course let me know your thoughts!

Click HERE for David Backer’s letter

Resource Links

Soft Power Health

Jessie’s Team Jackson Kayak page

Jessie’s NPR story (Audio)

Change happens when you change your routine and open yourself to something different. I traveled someplace far from home this weekend and tried something different. Here a few thoughts about my experience with resource links below:

Chicago Shoreline Marathon

Basecamp Renegade Charlotte

Chicago 2016 Candidate City