The Olympics never fail to inspire my soul at what a human being can accomplish through focus, intensity, and continual learning. For instance, the performance of the U.S Women’s Gymnastics team this year was nothing short of remarkable. The team’s 8.209 point victory by the United States over Russia is the largest margin of victory at a major gymnastics meet on record. In the four previous Olympics this century, the margin of victory has not exceeded 1.5 points. They also became the first American women's team to win back-to-back gold medals at the Olympics. 

Overall, the U.S. won a record breaking 121 medals in Rio - surpassing the last record of 110 in Beijing. What is clear is that the U.S. not only has good athletes, but a support system in place that nurtures, trains, and builds medal winners.  

I’m currently working with several companies and their senior teams who are also remarkable. As with the U.S. Olympic organization, they know how to produce great performers and sustain high performance over time. In the case of each company, the competitive ground is shifting around them with disruptive strategies and new market entrants. But I see that these teams possess three clear competencies that will set them apart and make them winners.    

There is always a little more down time to think and reflect in the summer. Whether you are away on vacation, or just finding a few more quiet moments in your summer calendar, you can use that time to look for inspiration for the busy Fall ahead.

I’ve gone back through my writing to revisit the ideas and people that most inspired me in my work during the past year. I hope you will use these ideas as a jumping-off point for your own reflections on ideas that inspire you and the people who make the ideas real.  

7:01am. A push notification arrives on my smart phone from surfline.com. “8’ to 10’ swell arriving in three days. Powerful surf.  Extreme Caution Recommended.” 

Avid surfers like me love these push notes and when they arrive, the blood courses, the mind triggers into high alert, and preparations begin for a big day.  

At certain breaks, the wave will tube. This means the top portion of the wave launches out over the bottom and creates a hollow tube of air. The light, refracting against the water, the ocean floor and sky, transforms to green. A surfer, going at high speeds will race through the green room either crouched or standing and experience a beauty and exhilaration perhaps like no other. At the end, he or she knows they've been to “the green room” and it was a near holy experience. 

We all face moments in our lives where we have an option to push ourselves beyond current limits, try new adventures, take new risks, launch a new, uncharted path. It may be something you’ve always wanted to do, but you weren’t sure you had it in you to break through. It might be a new opportunity just presented to you and you have to make a decision - go or no go.