INSIGHTS FROM AN OLYMPIAN BY JOHNNY QUINN | @JOHNNYQUINNUSA

As a professional athlete and budding entrepreneur I am always chasing success. In the athletic world, if I do not produce at a high level in competition, I will no longer be a pro athlete. As a business owner, if I do not produce at a high level in the marketplace, I will no longer be in business. It does not matter the industry you are in, the stakes to be successful are high. This sent me on a mission to learn from others who have been successful.

 

Photo credit: Jhyl LoughlinI had the pleasure (or so I thought) of sitting down with a gentleman who had been very successful in his “profession” and I was eager to learn the tricks of the trade. I had my notebook, a pen and an open mind ready to absorb the steps I needed to take in order to be successful. As our meeting progressed, it became very clear that I do not want to operate like this gentleman. What he calls success is not the type of success I am looking to achieve.
His “success” steps boiled down to three points:

1. Look out for yourself, and only yourself.

2. It’s OK to rack up credit card debt for the sake of short-term success. You can pay it off later.

3. After any victory, big or small, celebrate in a manner that will upset your competitors. It’s how you stay on top.
As I left our meeting and processed the information he provided over the last hour, I realized it was the absolute worst advice I have ever received regarding success. The type of success he was talking about was superficial, fleeting and annoying. Sure he might have gotten to the top of his profession, but it is only a matter of time before the foundation he built his house on gets rocked and comes tumbling down like a house of cards.

True success is using the talents God gave you to encourage, empower and serve others. It’s building on the lessons and work of those who have come before us, and clearing a path for those who come after us. Together, everyone achieves more.