ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
The Quest for Success Rick Fisher
O
ne of the definitions of success comes from the Oxford Dictionary— ”the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.There is a thin line between success and failure.” Many of us watched the Olympics where there are many examples of that. Take for example Downhill Skiing where skiers race down the mountain at speeds that would terrify most of us, to win or lose, in some instances by the blink of an eye. • The athletes have spent years perfecting their skill. •
They have practised.
• They have reviewed and imprinted the course in their heads before the big race. • Technicians have finely tuned their skis based on the conditions.
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“I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.” - Thomas Edison Then comes the big event and they must perform. As they race down the course, many perils await them. • They could take a turn too wide and go off the course. • A gust of wind could set them off. • They could catch an edge and fall, in many cases injuring themselves seriously. Adjustments must be made while they go down the course at lightspeed, all in an effort to beat other top competitors who are also going all-out to win. The task of going for a Gold medal and success when the world is watching is a daunting task that requires intense control of emotions and nerves. BC Notaries Association
Many athletes at each Games did not win any medals, but they do set personal bests. To them that would represent success and be immensely satisfying. Four years down the road there is always another Olympic Games to test their skills. Vince Lombardi, a Football coach who epitomized success, has a trophy named after him. He is widely quoted to have said, “practice makes perfect.” That is not exactly what he said . . . it was “Perfect practice makes perfect.” Thomas Edison is quoted as saying, “I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.” Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers says you need 10,000 hours of intensive practice to achieve mastery of complex skills, so what you are trying to achieve becomes intuitive. Please don’t ask me to spend 10,000 hours practising singing; it won’t make any difference. Volume 31, Number 1, Spring /Summer 2022
