Playing It Cool: Lessons from the Winter Olympics

The Beijing Winter Olympics have been epic! And as predicted, spectators have been served up an endless supply of spills, thrills and spectacular quad jumps.

Yes, in terms of global appeal, the Winter Games has often been dwarfed by its more illustrious Summer cousin. Yet this, the 24th edition of the Games, with its staggering 109 events and a long list of records broken thus far, has proven that it’s every bit as capable of holding its own.

Most importantly, there has been no shortage of lessons to inspire us all, even direct sellers, business leaders and entrepreneurs. And that’s great for us at QNET, who have always recognized the parallels between sports and entrepreneurship.

Here are a few of those lessons, courtesy of Olympians young and old, the underdogs and the sure wins: 

1. Success is important, but so is your health

“No pain, no gain” is the mantra of practically every athlete. Indeed, it’s arguable that blood, sweat and tears are a necessary part of the competitive sports experience.

But while sacrifice is crucial to sporting success, just like in business, one’s health should always take priority. 

That’s why besides 100% commitment, China’s freestyle ski star Eileen Gu insists on 10 hours a day of sleep. At least!

Has focus on your business relegated sleep down the list of priorities? Have you neglected your physical and mental wellbeing in pursuit of your dreams?

The advice of the best athletes and top entrepreneurs is that while single-minded determination and drive are important, good health will ensure continued success. So never forget to take care of yourself. And always prioritize rest!

2. Don’t give up, even when the odds seem insurmountable

Remember Cool Runnings, the film about a bobsled team from Jamaica competing in the 1988 Calgary Games? 

Well, 2022 saw Jamaican bobsledders once more make it to the Winter Games. And like before, the current athletes didn’t let “small problems”, like a lack of snow in their home country or closed facilities during the pandemic, stand in their way. 

The lesson here for entrepreneurs is that there will be times when the odds may seem stacked against you. But with the right attitude, you can adapt to and overcome each challenge.

Sure, you probably don’t need to push a car up and down a residential street to train as the Jamaican team did. But you could always learn how to turn unfavourable events to your advantage. 

Incidentally, Saudi Arabia, Haiti, and Malaysia are among the other snow-less countries that beat the odds to qualify for Beijing 2022.

3. Play fair and play nice

Sport is fiercely competitive, and there’s often no room for niceties. And sure enough, like in Games past, there were a few moments of questionable behaviour from competitors and fans. 

Nevertheless, Beijing 2022 showed that it’s certainly possible to applaud one’s opponents, console rivals when they’re down and most important of all, play by the rules.

In fact, the prevailing spirit of the 2022 Winter Olympics has been one of fairness and ethical conduct.

The point here is that while there will always be those who attempt to gain an advantage through unfair means, nice guys and girls can indeed finish first.

Also, the best and only kind of success worth celebrating — be it in sports, business or life — is a success that’s won ethically.

4. Setbacks happen, but hard work will help you come back stronger

The 2018 PyeongChang Games was tough on American figure skater Nathan Chen. 

At the time, going into the Games virtually undefeated, Nathan looked a shoo-in for gold. But then he stumbled and went home empty-handed.

Devastated, the young athlete was, nevertheless, determined to work his socks off for another shot at glory. And this year, all that hard work finally paid off as he bagged gold with a performance for the ages!

There’s no sugar-coating it. Failure, regardless of whether it’s in sports or direct selling, is difficult to stomach. Nevertheless, the key to doing better is to not let setbacks consume you but rather, motivate you to learn from mistakes and go again.

Remember, every successful QNET superstar has faced tough times. Yet their success stories prove that all of them were focused on rising again like the phoenix and going for gold.