Hello my friends,
The Tokyo Olympics are finally underway.
As someone who enjoys watching elite athletes at the top of their game it is rather disappointing to see empty stadiums; especially since the Euro welcomed capacity crowds.
Put aside the controversy and there are few events on the calendar more inspirational than an Olympic Games. It provides an opportunity for us to witness the pinnacle of the human condition, in events we don’t regularly get the chance to see.
When you observe true greatness, whether athletic, creative or in leadership it often appears to be effortless. David Rudisha winning Olympic Gold in London and setting a World Record in the process comes to mind.
The “Greatness Formula”, if there is one, would be a combination of the following three elements:
Natural ability
Deliberate practice
Effort
Unfortunately, you don’t have control over your natural ability.
Good news then, that the difference makers are your commitment to honing your skills and the effort spent doing so.
The early mornings and late nights, the monotony of practice, and personal sacrifice are unavoidable if you strive to be truly great.
A process that often goes unseen.
Be inspired by the end result but don’t try to emulate someone else’s best performance. Copy the discipline, focus, concentration and grit however, and you’ll soon be on the path towards greatness.
Let's get into it ↓
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Product
The Tokyo Olympics may be missing spectators in the stands but that hasn’t slowed down innovation for fans at home. Former athlete, Ashton Eaton, who has started a career at Intel, gives an overview of 3D athlete tracking technology.
Can “The Internet of Things” save the planet? This smart water bottle is giving it a go.
“Aggregation Theory” outlines an inflection point enabled by digitization and commoditization. What functions in your business are ready to be disrupted?
People
Much has been written about Apple’s inspiration for their stores. This fascinating article goes into the hiring and people development practices.
LinkedIn sucks. Are TikTok resumes the future?
Back in May, we discussed zero-sum games. This essay on “Being an Infinite Player” is a practical framework on transformation and how to share value with others.
Methods
Creativity isn’t an endeavor that follows a linear path. How to manage your elusive creative genius.
As the old saying goes “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. How to build productive relationships and maintain them.
“The practices that carry the greatest potential for transformative change are usually counter instinctual.” An outstanding explanation of the “Awkwardness Principle”.
Out of Office
Whether you’re back out on the town or not I Miss My Bar allows you to recreate the ambiance of your favorite pub from the comfort of your own home.
I use it as background noise for work because research shows it can increase creativity.
Or maybe I just miss going to bars.