The Biggest Business Lesson From The Olympics: Do Not Quit

Dipa Karmakar caught the attention of the entire nation during the 2016 Rio Olympics. She represented India on the most prestigious sports platform and stunned everyone with her focus, determination and persistence. Sakshi Malik wrestled her way to India’s first bronze medal and PV Sindhu became the country’s first woman to bag a silver medal--these women are stepping up and proving every stereotype wrong.

When Dipa Karmakar stood fourth and missed her chance to win a medal, Olympic medalist Abhinav Bindra tweeted “Dipa Karmakar, you are my hero”.

I personally think this is what every woman who is fearlessly chasing her dreams needs to hear. Not everyone is going to be a leader or have the highest market share, but if you lose your zest and enthusiasm, it kills your business goals. Your ability to bounce back is going to be the parameter that differentiates you from your competitor, and if you have someone cheering for you no matter how bad things get, it will always help you come back with more focus.

All of us noticed the grit of these athletes, but their true glory lies in the fact that they never gave up on their vision. We are very fond of making vision statements for our business, but how many us stick to them during tough situations?

Every athlete brings their A-game forward; they have a team of coaches and experts backing and supporting them for years. A good business should also have a strong support system in place. You need to focus all your energy on the goal and not managing issues that hold you back.

It takes years to qualify for the Olympics--winning or losing is a completely different matter. Every athlete competing in the Olympics trains for five to 10 years before qualifying. Those foundation years are what truly define your strength of character. There have been stories of Indian women athletes who were judged for choosing sports over a conventional education and marriage. That pressure only made them more determined about their goal.

As women entrepreneurs, we are often stuck in the dilemma of family versus business--both require immense time and effort, and the fact that we have to pick one or manage both is unfair. Judging a woman for the choices she makes limits her capacity to excel.

A competitor will always challenge your plans. I think this is a great motivator, because it never allows you to get complacent. But, if you retaliate negatively, it affects your sportsmanship.

We have often seen athletes lose concentration if provoked negatively. This emotion also extends to the energy of the entrepreneurs. Every Olympic Games give us numerous stories to share. For instance, New Zealand distance runner Nikki Hamblin fell during the race, taking down American Abbey D’Agostino with her. But instead of running to win, Abbey helped Nikki get back on her feet as well.

A world-class athlete has a very interesting correlation with a tough entrepreneur--they both are constantly thinking beyond failure and rewards, because true success cannot be measured and defined. We congratulate our Indian contingent at the Rio Olympics 2016 on the success. They are truly inspiring a generation of women to never give up and believe in their audacious dreams.