The Power of the Common Goal

Watching the Olympic racing has been amazing.  I find myself sitting by the laptop at 5 or 6 in the morning and probably waking up 1/2 of my apartment complex... sorry 66 Franklin St.  After watching the men's 8 final and going nuts (cowbell, navy football game nuts) when the USA pulled even and moved through Canada, I didn't think I would get any more excited.  Then came the lightweight 4 final.

Even though the USA boat wasn't in it, I still had to watch.  The lwt 4 is arguably the toughest event at the international level.  The event has not been dominated by one crew in a long time and the trend continued yesterday.  I'm watching and focusing on Denmark, Great Britain and Australia.  All of them are duking it out and I was sure they will bring home the 3 medals awarded.  Then I notice another bow coming into the picture... South Africa.

After I noticed them, they made minced meat of the field, sprinting through the three crews and winning the Olympics!  It was amazing.  They denied the reigning world champions, Australia, a medal and de-throned the  reigning Olympic champions, Denmark.  I love watching racing and that was definitely one for the record books, literally.  It was the first time South Africa has won a gold medal in rowing at the Olympics.

I was reading articles about the race and the South Africans said something that resonated with me, "Gold."  That was their key word, what they worked toward for the last few years.  Whenever they were feeling down in training or making a move for speed in a race, they called out the word "Gold."  Simple really, they had a goal and a focus.  It worked.  When they were in the "pain locker" and gaining momentum on the field they made a call for "gold" and sprinted through the leaders to win the Olympics.

When I rowed at Navy we focused on the Jope Cup.  It took a few years, but the Navy lightweights eventually won that trophy two years in a row (2005+1, and 2005+2), defining them as the strongest lightweight team in the country.  I tried to bring that mentality to the Navy and then the national team and I feel it helped me, personally.  Not everyone always bought into it, thinking it was corny or cheesy; but it worked for South Africa!





Going into any objective, it's a good idea to have a focus, a goal.  Focusing on that goal will get you far and help you achieve the unbelievable.  Congratulations to South Africa.  Amazing race!

- Jimmy