Business Lessons Learned From 25 Years of Racing Motorcycles
14. Humility Helps You Win
When I raced a 100-mile or longer race, I was alone most of
the time. The only time I had help from someone was during
my pit stop. Sometimes, a fellow racer would, maybe, render
aid to me if I broke down or crashed. No one was there
to high-five me for avoiding what appeared to be eminent
disaster or pat me on the back for performing a mid-air
pass. As a business leader, you are tasked with moving the
team forward. To move a team forward requires knowledge,
experience, skill and a fair amount of risk-tolerance. Business
leaders, eventually, learn to get comfortable with the notion
that rarely will a subordinate or coworker ever notice what
you just went through to move the needle, much less give
you a pat on the back. If you ever find yourself feeling under
appreciated by others, go back and read the first paragraph in
this article. That quiet confidence that drives you to be okay
with the spotlight shining on someone other than yourself is
called humility. “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s
thinking of yourself less.” – C.S. Lewis
15. Unfavorable Conditions Can
Help You
I used to ride my motorcycle every day after work, so I
could fine-tune my skills. In New Mexico, that meant riding
in 108-degree summer days, pouring down rain in monsoon
season or in a foot of winter snow. Often, these conditions
were ridden in the dark, too. While riding in those less-
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than-ideal conditions made it difficult and less enjoyable at
the time, it did prepare me to race in those same conditions
with confidence. I knew that on race day, when those bad
conditions were present, I had already beaten 75% of my
competitors. They weren’t as mentally or skillfully prepared
as I was. When facing challenging external conditions in
business, only the prepared will emerge victoriously. The
prepared know that those challenging conditions exist in
business and they’ll be ready for them. Great business leaders
treat every day as a test and hone their skill, even when it
makes them uncomfortable for the moment.
There is one observation that I’ve made while visiting with
hundreds of successful business leaders; they all have had
hobbies that influenced their businesses and vice versa. It
has always interested me as to what motivates someone to
do what they do. Just like hobbies, business requires passion
and discipline to be successful. Whether it’s skydiving, running
marathons or show-jumping horses, the pursuit of personal
gratification and accomplishment transcends your entire
life. So, what you do in your free time has profound effects
on your work life. Make it count. Never forget the lessons
learned. What lessons have you learned from your hobby or
sport that can apply to your business?
Share your lessons with Mark Podeyn by emailing
[email protected].
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