Yesterday I competed in my 4th Decathlon. I won. Not literally…In fact I didn’t win a single event during the day. However, there’s more than one way to feel like a winner and often it’s not reflected directly on the scoreboard.
I set 5 goals heading into this years event.
Raise 10k
Don’t get hurt
Finish ALL 10 events
Meet my performance goals
Have Fun
I came pretty close….
$9600…I was ONE pull-up away from reaching my performance bonus and hitting 10k…Damn.
I didn’t get injured, however I did hurt myself…More on this later.
I finished ALL 10 events with 7 out of 10 being top 10 finishes. I placed 11th overall. Just finishing is not enough.
I only met 1 out of 10 of my performance goals. Suffice it to say I set the bar a bit too high…Or did I?
This was the most fun I’ve had out there in years.
So what did I learn? What’s the takeaway? What are the lessons here? Metaphors for business, family, life…
For one; mental toughness trumps physical prowess every time. I have a lot of work to do mentally. I was fixated on my hamstring all day long and not repeating last years injury. That cost me dearly in the 400 and 40. I will work on that.
So while I didn’t get “injured”, I did hurt myself in the competition by not pushing myself to the level I’d trained for and was capable of performing at.
Be smart but don’t leave anything in the tank. That leads to regret and coulda, woulda, shoulda….
There are slight improvements in a few other areas to be made however I’m pleased and grateful over all. Don’t beat yourself up too much so that you can no longer recognize when you’ve done something well. Take pride in what you’ve done and have confidence that you did your best.
It’s all about people. The community of D10 athletes is amazing and everyone is so supportive and encouraging all year long and especially on game day.
Give more than you get. It’s a privilege to be out there and I appreciate that in order to have that opportunity to compete out on the field that we as competitors must GIVE first by raising money, awareness and meeting fundraising commitments to help fight and ultimately end Pediatric Cancer. More than $250,000 was raised yesterday and we were all talking and excited about how to exceed that number next year.
I can’t think of a better way to spend a gorgeous Saturday than combining fitness, philanthropy and family. Getting to compete, raise money for a cause you care deeply about, “sweat work” and meet new people, put your athleticism to good use, share the experience with your kids and colleagues is so much fun!
To everyone who supported me, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
Lastly, if you’re thinking that this is something that you CANNOT do, think again. The D10 Decathlon is for everyone. It gives you a goal, a purpose and an opportunity to GET in shape alongside a group of executive athletes and build a professional, fitness and philanthropic network of likeminded individuals. If you have any questions or want to learn more, I’m here for you.
