The sign on all the doors of the United States Olympic Training Center says, “Not Every Four Years, Every Day.” The sign reminds athletes that success comes from practising every day, not just competing at the Olympics. It is a reminder that champions develop themselves with daily practice.

Elite athletes and outstanding leaders face a similar challenge on the path toward mastery. They need to be willing to do the work and adopt a mindset to deal with their challenges. Outstanding leaders show up and develop themselves every day, just like elite athletes. 

In the book, Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment by George Leonard, he suggests that on the path to achieve mastery you must practice diligently, to develop your skills, to attain extra levels of competence. But you also have to spend much of your time on a plateau and keep practising even though you do not seem to get anywhere. You will discover your greatest learning happens on the plateaus.

Through their commitment, elite athletes and outstanding leaders are winning every day even though it sometimes seems like they are not getting anywhere. There is an old myth that leaders are born, not made. But the research and lived experience shows that leadership is about 30 percent genetic, and 70 percent learned. Regardless of your genetic potential, you still need to do the work to fulfil it. Potential is just an opportunity. 

Leadership takes work and practice every day. Leonard suggests people embarking on any form of change will gain stability and comfort though practising something daily. The practice provides a stable base during the instability of change. 

🙋 What are your daily leadership practices? 🙋‍♀️

Best regards, Brian