What Do Admins and Olympic Athletes Have in Common?

Would you be surprised to learn that, as an admin, you share many similarities with Olympic competitors? You do! Here’s how admins mirror Olympians’ habits to achieve success at work. 

Take practice. Olympic contenders practice their sport—every single day. They perform hours upon hours of swimming, rowing, running, diving, cycling, and more. The same goes for admins. Admins work hard every day to perfect their skills—as business correspondents, event coordinators, office managers, record keepers, order processors, schedulers, and more. In each case, it takes exhaustive preparation to be the best.

Olympic hopefuls are keen learners. They’re always searching for techniques that will give them an edge. How can they more precisely execute a high dive or a gymnastics routine? The best athletes—and the best admins—realize there’s always more to learn and more efficient ways to compete. Top admins learn from bosses and colleagues, and/or take classes and earn certificates—online, at school, or at work—to unlock their potential and open new career doors.

Another characteristic Olympians and admins share: coaching. Every Olympic hopeful employs one or more coaches who push them to learn new techniques and reach new heights of performance. Admins have coaches, too—in this case, mentors. Mentors motivate admins to increase their commitment to their jobs and careers, improve their productivity, and expand their capabilities. And just as coaches offer athletes valuable feedback about their strengths and weaknesses, so too, do mentors—all to help their charges perform their best.
It goes without saying that Olympians dream big. Their dreams of success keep them focused on persevering to reach their goals. Admins, too, have big dreams for their lives and careers. The more you, as an admin, focus on your goals, next steps, and dreams, the more patience, discipline, and grit you’ll bring to your job, your career, and your life.

Most of us want to be great, but few of us are willing to put in the time and go the distance to reach for the gold. What about you? Don’t be willing to settle for anything less than success!