Going for the Gold

Here in Austin, Texas the city is alive with the buzz of ESPN X Games Austin 2014 kicking off on Wednesday.  The ESPN X Games Austin 2014 crew has been here for a while making plans, and constructing what will be a tour de force of fun, sports and music happening downtown, at Austin 360 Amphitheater and at Circuit of the Americas.    The competition will be undoubtedly fierce in a variety of events for gold medals.   

You see, whether you’re a fan of an event that will be here, whether you’ve never seen any of the events before, or even if you don’t care about the X Games Austin 2014, we all are a part of our own process in going for gold medals in our lives just like the athletes competing.  That’s what I want to talk about this week is 3 major components of going for the gold in our own lives.

So far I’ve already had the privilege of talking with Chase Hawk (BMX), and Jay Reichert (Stadium SUPER Trucks), two of the athletes participating in this year’s games and the common thread between them and you and I is that the pursuit of professional and personal goals is a long committed process.  Both athletes talked about how they got started and stayed committed to their sport, practicing and participating in competitions for a long time.  As you pursue your own personal or professional goals it too can be a long arduous process that has its trials and tribulations.  Getting a raise might be followed up the next year by getting overlooked for one.  Maybe you’re saving up to launch your own business but the financial woes you face keep putting it on hold.  It could even be a situation where you keep just adding on voluntary tasks to strengthen your resume to be ready for when you find your dream job so that you can be qualified to apply.  Much like the athletes I spoke to who are successful at reaching and participating on a grand stage, you too will eventually succeed, and land that consistent raise, launch that business, and secure that dream job so that you are in that position to get your own gold medal in life. 

The work ethic however must be driven by passion a second necessary component to achieving gold.  We must have an intrinsic motivation and love of the pursuit process of our goals.  While talking to Jay Reichert, it was obvious that he absolutely loved driving Stadium SUPER Trucks.  After only one question he lit up as he talked about what it was like in the driver seat of his truck during a race, and had story after story of other races, practice runs, wrecks, and even what it was like to analyze the truck’s performance in trials.  That’s the type of passion we must have to transform our dreams into reality.  There has to be a passion about how we talk about our goals, and the work that we are doing to achieve them.  The intrinsic motivation and joy that we feel, should be palpable to anyone who asks, or observes us as we pursue our hopes and dreams.

Throughout the process of chasing our own gold medals, it is imperative to continuously set and aim for new goals.  We need to be battle tested as we move forward and test ourselves with various opportunities that come up.  This part of the pursuit process helps us to prepare for our shining moment.  This could be taking on a project that utilizes our skills, maybe taking an extra class, getting involved in an association outside of work, or anything else that will enhance our skill development and prepare us for our end goal.  These are all a part of the proverbial ‘corporate ladder’, because a ladder exists in all processes of pursuing a dream.  Each rung is further progression to the top of your game.  Much like these X Games Austin 2014 athletes are involved in circuit competitions around the United States, and some around the world which serve as their rungs of the ladder while they pursue a gold medal.

As we work at achieving our own gold medals through hard work, determination and success it’s important that we remember that it’s a process, we must maintain our passions, and be constantly ready to be tested along the way.   Sometimes we will get a few silver and bronzes along the way, but that gold is waiting and it’s achievable.  It will happen.