From Olympics to the Office

The drive to achieve, the ability to visualize the goal and knowing how to deliver results – these are characteristics of successful pro-athletes and top businesswomen.

Career women and Olympians, like swimmer Natalie Coughlin, have more in common than you might think. It turns out, her success secrets transfer perfectly to the business world.

“Setting goals and having stepping stones to those goals that are manageable and keep you motivated” are what drive Coughlin. A world champion swimmer currently training for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she adds that success is all about the company you keep. “I’ve made sure I’m surrounded by wonderful people, coaches, teammates and a staff who all support me.” 

Coughlin says that career women shouldn’t be afraid to set sights beyond what seems possible at the time. “Wanting to be an Olympian at eight years old isn’t achievable,” she explains, “but I’m very intrinsically motivated, and I believed I could eventually do this.”

Have a project fall through or a deal not work out? Corp Magazine explains how athletes deal with failure by replaying where they went wrong, practicing improvements and repeating until the improved strategies are second nature.

Experts say having an athletic mindset can help career women dispel negative thoughts, stay realistic about worst-case scenarios and keep frustration from hindering success.

Bonus PINK Link: Find out what businesswomen can learn from March Madness in our online exclusive.

By Caroline Cox

“Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like
muscles of the body.” Lynn Jennings, world champion runner