Olympians – they’re just like us regular people – right?!

In many ways, yes! While also being amazing, awe inspiring, and inspirational. As we near the end of the 2024 summer Olympics, here are the top 3 Olympic themed things I heard myself saying to clients over the last few weeks.

‘What’s your Why?’

Goals are important, and ‘begin with the end in mind’ is very valid advice, but goals aren’t the only thing that guides us. We also need the direction, the Why,  which is linked to our values and strengths, and generally to what’s most important in our lives. Once we know our Why, the details of who, what, where, how, when, become clearer, and easier to start putting into practice.

‘Remember Balance’

Olympians (or any top athletes for that matter) don’t train hard physically all the time. They have rest days. They prioritise sleep. And they spend time with people who lift them up; people who they feel good just being with. They mix mental training in with the physical stuff, and understand the value of just being in the moment.

‘The power of Small Steps’

This is one that I talk about a lot in general. A big goal, like competing in an Olympics, is just too big for many of us to contemplate; we can’t see how we would ever get from here to there. Take smaller steps; break things down into chunks (or ‘goldilocks goals’ – not too big, not too small, just enough of a stretch). In active terms, Couch to 5K is a great example of this, and conveniently links my three Olympic themed comments together.

A few years ago, I wanted to do a 10k run as a fundraiser for a charity that really aligns with my values (the Why). I’m not fit, so just signing up and then turning up was not a workable option for me. Instead, I enlisted a friend, someone who I enjoy spending time with and find supportive and encouraging, and we signed up together. We didn’t actually train together; she already had a gym routine that worked for her, so she stuck with that. I decided to do couch to 5k, which is designed to gradually build up your strength and stamina, helping you transition from the couch to completing a 5K run. It was small enough chunks that were manageable for me; I would text my friend photos of my sweaty red face after training, and then collapse on the sofa for a rest. We did the race together; managed to run the full 10k without stopping, and raised money for a charity that was really meaningful for us both!

Hmm – wonder if I’m inspired enough by the Olympics to download the Couch to 5K app again?! Anything the Olympics has inspired you to do?