Lessons Learned from the 2012 Summer Olympics

While watching the Olympics I’ve been thinking a lot about this question:  What makes a champion? It is amazing to me that there are 7 billion people in the world and only 1 world champion in each Olympic event. How does one go from being one in the masses to being THE one?

I’ve been fascinated by the Olympics this year, partly because I used to live in London and partly because I have loved them since I was a kid. One of my big dreams was to attend the games one day, I even had a huge pepsi bottle bank to save my coins to go. The Summer Olympics cover such great sports like gymnastics which I did for years as a kid, track and field which dominated my high-school years, and horseback riding which I’ve done most of my life. This year they are affecting me in a deeper way.

I think it is because being an entrepreneur is a lot like being an Olympic athlete. The odds of a start-up succeeding are so ridiculously low that most wouldn’t even try if they knew them (or believed they could be one of the ones that failed). You certainly wouldn’t play any games in Vegas on those odds. And yet these athletes beat the odds. What does that take? How can I learn from these masters and apply this to my business?

Well the skills and qualities of an Olympic athelte that I’ve noticed over the last few days are:

-          Persistence

-          Courage

-          Commitment

-          Determination

-          Ambition

-          Dedication

-          Calmness

-          Enthusiasm

-          Strength

-          Consistency

-          Endurance

-          Confidence

-          Grace

All of these innately human qualities come from a perfect blend of our ego supporting our soul and our mind and body working in service to the heart. These athletes inspire me. They believe in themselves; they are crazy enough to believe they can – so they do! They also never ever give up.  They spend countless hours training and they are often not with their families or friends for long stretches of time so they can focus fully on their sport. They truly understand that sacrifice means making one thing sacred.

I think this is why we are collectively moved by this global televised event every four years. We see what we are capable of when we fully commit to our dreams. The level of discipline these champions commit to is truly awe-inspiring. They are required to remain calm amongst the pressure of one event determining their fate. They are forced to block out any external stimuli while using tons of mental preparation and tools.

While not everyone wins at these games, I don’t think anyone really loses. The chance to travel to a foreign country (for most) and to compete for best in your class is a chance of a lifetime. This is how I feel about being a Founder and CEO, it is truly an incredible opportunity and yet it tests me in all ways. Daily, I need to work on my mind, body and soul just like an Olympic athlete. I have to continually show up to my “desk” just like putting in the hours at the gym. Over time muscles get stronger and we become the best at what we do. Practice truly does make perfect.

Most won’t ever leave the comfort of corporate America and a stable paycheck to jump into the wilderness of running a start-up.  Then again many would prefer to watch the Olympics rather than train for them. Why? Well let’s be honest – it is HARD work. But for those of us who are foolish enough to believe in our dreams, well the journey and the blessings are priceless.

In service to changing the world, or changing our own world, we push ourselves to the limit, we make our dreams our priorities and we show up – over and over again. This process takes discipline, commitment, sacrifice, love, passion, and a strong will.  It is not for everyone but as Gabby Douglas, 1st African American All-Around Gymnastics Gold Medal  Winner, said last night: “if you can push through the hard days, you can get through anything.”

Being a champion is in my DNA and I have an Olympic-sized heart. It’s partly why my ambition, drive, and sensitivity are not always a curse because they keep me motivated to always give my best and often stand out from the crowd. Being a leader was natural to me at five years old and yet watching these athletes makes me realize I need even more discipline, more mental preparation, a deeper reservoir of strength and of course a great coach and support system! To be the best at business, as a CEO, as a female founder and an entrepreneur – I have a lot to learn from these Olympians. We all do. If these athletes can do it, I CAN DO IT. AND SO CAN YOU J

Love & Light,

Kate Neligan - The Synergistic Entrepreneur

P.S.  This is an excellent article on Gabby’s win. Her coach told her that everyone has pain and to not focus on it and then this part was my favorite:  “She never doubted she could be the best. Even when she was the only one who thought so.” The real lesson?  ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

Lessons Learned from the 84th Annual Academy Awards

The hype around the Academy Awards in Hollywood is palpable and each year I love to watch who wins and host a fabulous Oscar party.  Rarely do I ever think this show has some profound moments and yet today I can't get a comment Meryl Streep made out of my head.

When Meryl received her Oscar she said she immediately thought half of America would be upset she won and then she smiled and said "whatever".  It made me think about how she was probably accurate in her thinking but that she also didn't care what others thought - she still won!  I realized how this applies to my life and running my own company.  I have to admit I've been a big people pleaser in the past and I have cared way too much what others think of me.  While it's great to want fans, it can handicap you if you want to please everyone, especially at your own expense.  What if Meryl didn't want to win so she wouldn't upset half of America?  What if she didn't feel worthy of that award because of what others thought?  What if she chose not to act because she may not be good enough?  Think of all the films that would have been different!  Her "whatever" comment to what other people think is brilliant and one that I plan to adopt.

See the lesson here for me is that we are always being judged.  We can't escape it.  I had a big realization one day that every single person in the room would think something differently about me because of their own filter and projections.  I realized it would be impossible to make everyone happy and to impress everyone so why even try?  It was a battle I was sure to lose and in the meantime I would be wasting precious energy.  It's sort of similar to the battle we have with our inner perfectionist.  Mine can be so loud sometimes and while most of the time I view her as a friend that pushes me to be my best, she is definitely fighting against the stream.  It's really impossible to be perfect!

I found Octavia Spencer's acceptance speech to be really inspirational as well.  I think most people would agree that she had one of the best moments of the night.  Why did we all love it so much?  Because it wasn't perfect, it was real!  She is relatable and sweet, and she admitted to freaking out.  Her vulnerability won us over in addition to the fact that she is also a great actress and played an amazing role in THE HELP.  I saw her interviewed after the ceremony and she said she didn't remember needing help off the stage.  She didn't remember because she was in the moment.  There was nothing pre-meditated or perfect about her acceptance speech - she was just with her emotion, or energy in motion, and it was beautiful.

So we can all move forward knowing the world needs more "whatever" to judgment and our commitment to not take it personally! This is one of the agreements in Don Miguel's "The Four Agreements".  And the world needs us to just be ourselves - flaws and all.  There are going to be people that don't like me when I rise to the top and make millions.  There are going to be people that think I'm weird because I approach business from a spiritual perspective.  I am going to use Meryl's "whatever" because I will still be holding the gold - the "inner gold" of doing my best and being myself.  I won't let the fear of what others think ever hold me back from sharing my gifts!  And while I'm at it, I'll remember that I am definitely not perfect and its okay if people see me "freak out"....we are all human after all.

Some other important lessons learned from last night's show.....when you wear a dress with a huge slit up the leg you have to show off your leg or the dress won't be worth what you paid for it.  More importantly its worth paying for a dress that does cover the most intimate part of your breasts! And luckily now we all know how to say Zach Galifianakis' name! ;)





Lessons Learned from The Synergistic Entrepreneur!
- Kate Neligan

"Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?"

There was a point in time when I almost wasn't CEO of my own start-up!  I was contemplating letting a guy I barely knew run my company because he seemed to have more experience.  I wasn't sure where these thoughts of "I can't do this" were coming from but they were heavy and full of fear-based thinking.  Luckily, they didn't last long.

I had coffee one day with my CPA.  We both graduated from USM with our Master's in Spiritual Psychology and so he serves, as all graduates from that University do, as a great coach at just the right time.  I told him I was thinking about letting Mr. F run my company and he just stared at me.  He was in shock that I would literally abandon my baby like this and I thought that maybe I was doing the right thing.  I mean I hadn't been a mom before, what did I know?!

He asked me one question that changed the direction of my career and my journey (although I believe I would have eventually woken up from my lack of confidence at some point).  He said:  Kate - do you think the President of the United States knows how to be the President of the United States before he becomes that?

I was dumbfounded.  How brilliant was this question?!  I realized that MEN get it - they know how to take leaps of faith, risks, and to push themeslves to be amazing even when they have no idea what they are doing.  I was going to give my first chance at being CEO of my vision to a man!  What was I thinking?!  I am the right person for the job.  I am capable, I am worthy, I am magnificent and brilliant!!!  As Marianne Williamson would say - "who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world."  Amen soul sister is what I have to say to her brilliant quote about the fear of success!

And yet its also about confidence, isn't it?!  How do we do something we haven't done before?  Hey - how did we pee in the potty or walk for the first time?!  We tried it and we practiced and then it became second nature.  I can be a CEO.  In fact, most of you can be - certainly women entrepeneurs that jump ship from corporate and have a dream and vision to launch - can do it! 

My new mantra - I CAN, I WILL, I AM, - FROM A PLACE OF LOVE!!!

Join me in saying that out loud!  Don't you feel better?  Now go get 'em tiger!
-Kate Neligan
The Synergistic Entrepreneur
CEO & Founder of Mindful Media Entertainment & Synergy TV

Check out this great article on women's confidence when it comes to the workplace.  Its enlightening!
http://blogs.hbr.org/glickman/2012/01/confidence-is-a-numbers-game.html