1 min readDon’t Be A Wimp

by Guy Gage | February 24, 2014 | Business

I’m addicted to watching Olympians perform. It’s amazing how these athletes train for years and put it all on the line in one event. Athletes at this level have learned some important lessons. One that I recall is when Ashley Wagner, an American figure skater, was being interviewed by Savanna Guthrie. She spoke of her up-and-down career as a champion skater.

Savanna asked Ashley what she said to herself just before she takes the ice. All smiles, Ashley referred to herself as an army brat, saying her dad was in the service and her mother was a teacher. So they didn’t have the means to hire a sports psychologist that so many other Olympians enjoyed. She said her dad just told her, “Don’t be a wimp. That’s all I can tell you. Don’t be a wimp.” Ashley smiled at the simplicity and power of that advice.

I have to believe those words echoed in her mind every time she forced herself onto the ice for another grueling workout, forcing herself to skate through sore and bruised muscles. It’s what propelled her to give that extra effort. Her attitude, wrapped in her dad’s counsel, made her an Olympic athlete.

We all could benefit from the demonstration of courage and perseverance of this 22-year old Olympian. How often do you go through your day bemoaning how unfair things are? How often do you complain about the volume or complexity of the work ahead of you? How easy is it to criticize those around you for not doing what you want them to do? How many times in a day do you fall in line when the “ain’t it awful” parade marches by?

Maybe this is the time to heed Ashley’s mantra: Don’t be a wimp.

Read Related Blogs:

Not A Replacement Of Your Purpose

Technology has always reshaped this profession. Every generation has faced a tool that seemed poised to change everything. Calculating manually gave way to the calculator. The calculator gave way to the computer. Today, artificial intelligence is the next evolution....

read more

What Comes After Technical Expertise?

Technical expertise has been the foundation of the accounting profession. And it should be. It’s the knowledge, accuracy, and judgment CPAs bring to their work that make this profession one of the most trusted. But the world around us is changing. Technology is making...

read more

Would AI Hire You?

Step into an interview with an AI bot who is interviewing a CPA for a position in the AI’s firm. AI: I’m looking for a strategic hire that will allow me to serve clients and build this firm. CPA: Perfect. I’m your person. I have great experience that will be most...

read more