The Champion

This week, we witnessed a remarkable story in the world of Snow Boarding. America’s Shaun White successfully defended his crown as the reigning Gold Medalist. The fact that he is a double Gold Medal winner, in and of itself, is a significant accomplishment, but Shaun showed us the difference between a winner and a champion.

Snow boarders are allowed two attempts on the course. The competition allows them to throw out the lower of the two scores. At the end of the first round, Shaun was comfortably leading the pack. He was the last to compete at the end of the second round. When his turn came around, he was still in first place. This meant, that he could literally forfeit his final turn and be the winner of the Gold Medal.

But that is not how Champions do it. Not only did Shaun take his turn, but he chose to board even more aggressively than he did in his first round and introduced us to the future of his sport. He made massive meaning out of a meaningless second round. He chose to stretch himself to a new level, when all he had to do was slowly slide down the hill. For him, it was not enough to win, he wanted to show the world why he is a champion.

The Champion In Me

I must admit that I felt a lot of emotion as I watched this reach for greatness. I would have understood if he chose to avoid the risk of injuring himself. As he soared high above the half-pipe I look inside myself and saw myself soaring in my own pursuits.

I knew as I watched, that if I want to be a champion, I must be willing to raise it up a notch, even after I have realized the victory. Winning, is simply a mark of previous accomplishments. The challenge to become demands that we set new marks every single day.

Are you a winner or a champion?

Are you resting on a success plateau or climbing a new peak?

Do your efforts inspire those around you to raise their own bar?

It is easy to be satisfied with the victories we achieve. Successful people understand that the successes of today are merely the benchmarks for the successes of tomorrow. They are willing to reach for more, even when the rest of the world is so far behind. Shaun White actually won the Gold and the Silver medal. Thank you Shaun for showing us what a champion snow boarder looks like.

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn

760-559-3548

Instead of sharing the normal statistics of our company, i.e., number of employees, gross and net revenues, years in business and our plan to achieve global domination in our marketplace, I decided to relate the defining moments of my professional life and how they molded and shaped my career. I wanted my cohorts to see me as a person, so I shared the highs and lows that contributed to my successes and failures.

MBA classrooms are not known for their warm and fuzzy experiences. They are generally associated with hard facts, controlled emotions and crisp conversations. My presentation was shaping up to be an emotionally intelligent, but soft skilled approach. I felt exposed and vulnerable as I began my talk. Despite my hesitation, I shared my story, hoping it would some how resonate with my classmates.

Authentic Validation

The experience frightened me. I wanted to open up, but I was afraid that “the authentic me”, might be rejected. I didn’t know if I could handle that. As I launched in to my presentation, I began to wonder if it would have been better to wear one of the “masks of command” that are so easy to don when discussing the principles and politics of business. I pushed through it and as I looked at the faces of my friends I could see that my message was favorably received.

When I finished, they gave me an ovation. As we lunched together, many of them commented on how much they enjoyed my remarks. Several stated that they had never seen me look so alive. They could feel the passion in my voice. Some even said that my thoughts inspired them to look at their career differently.

Later in the day, I reflected on what happened. In my presentation, I allowed my true self shine without fear. I behaved in a way that was consistent with my “signature strengths”, instead of pretending to fit the text book mold of an MBA candidate. My preparation required me to really know myself and to courageously expose myself without fear of the consequences. I took a risk, and I felt validated by my results. I presented the real me and it felt good. My classmates knew nothing more about my business. Instead, they now had a bright picture of Andrew and they saw me as person. The fact that I was the president of a successful financial entity was of little importance to them. They were content to know the real me.

Why Not?

The success I felt in this experience continues to encourage me to dig deeper into finding “the authentic me”. At times, it still feels a bit scary, but I accept the fear as the price of passage to discovering the real me. Authenticity is the antidote for self-deceptive behavior. In order to see things as they really are, we must connect with the real self. This requires at first to see all of the masks, shields and cloaks that we sometimes wear to protect ourselves and then evaluate whether or not they are really serving us the way we think they are. It is difficult to get there when our eyes are blinded by the unreal.

My success with knowing myself prompts me to think about others and how they might apply this in their own lives. There are several questions that frequently run through my mind. “Why not be authentic?” “What do we really risk when we open up?” “Do the benefits of being authentic outweigh the potential pitfalls?” “How can a person who has never behaved in this way before, begin to open their true self to the world?” and “Does authentic behavior work for everyone or are there some instances when leaders must wear a mask in order to protect themselves and their organizations?“

I invite you to join me in my consideration of these questions. As more of us learn to speak and behave authentically, many more will feel empowered to do so. The journey to authenticity begins with you. Are you ready to grow whole?

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn
760-559-3548

Few people ever knew how much time she invested in preparing for those events. Many, just thought she was naturally talented, but she was always rehearsing and refining her skill. I will never forget her intense desire to prepare. It was something she did all day long. She rehearsed in the kitchen while she was preparing the family meals. She rehearsed while she was caring for our home. We even heard her in the bathroom polishing her routine. It was non-stop, and we usually knew it as well as she did by the time she gave the actual presentation.

Relentless Pursuit

My mother’s example taught me how to persistently prepare to be professional. She taught us that we are responsible for delivering value. She taught us that it is not OK to leave things to chance. If we want to deliver a good performance, than we had better be willing to pay the price.

The other day, I rediscovered how important it is to rehearse. It is the number one way to overcome fear. The more we rehearse, the more confidence we develop. A recent study on success documented that successful people practice twice as much as their counterparts.

Despite this evidence, only a few people actually practice for the work that they do. I don’t understand this philosophy, but some just say they want to be fresh and in the moment, so they write their presentations and then deliver it for the first time in front of the client.

Can you imagine people only slightly reviewing a script before they opened a broadway show, or an NBA team just showing up for the games without ever practicing. While, their natural talents may shine through, they will never reach their potential without practicing.

The Power of Practice

My recent involvement in the theater, taught me another lesson about rehearsing. The more I rehearse, the more comfortable I become with the movement and verse. As a result, the content becomes my own. It actually becomes a part of me, and I am no longer acting a part or reciting lines. The more I rehearse, the more I am able to naturally and  authentically present my part with power.

How much time do you spend rehearsing?

What impact would increasing your rehearsal time have on the amount of value you deliver?

Are you encouraging your team to rehearse individually and collectively?

The voice of authenticity comes from creating the space to practice. If you really want to get better at something, you must be willing to increase the frequency in which you do it. Rehearsal provides the opportunity to do it without an audience. That gives us the opportunity to make corrections without penalty. It also makes your audience think you are a natural talent. Anybody got a problem with that?

Live Today! Love Today!

Andrew Thorn
760-559-3548