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Did you know that the mascot of the 2024 Paris Olympics is a hat? And did you see the swimming event where “Bob the Cap Catcher” paraded out in his colorful speedo to rescue a stray swimming cap? Were you aware that Burkina Faso, Eritrea, and Seychelles are competing countries in the Olympics, or did you think they were all pop musicians? And did you know that with over 10,500 athletes competing, less than 10% will receive a medal?  

In other words, over 90% of all Olympic athletes will not stand on the podium in Paris this year. 

These athletes have worked tirelessly to reach this point. They’ve made countless sacrifices, exhibited intense dedication through long training days, persevered through injuries, and demonstrated resilience in the face of losses and criticism. They’ve shown incredible grace and professionalism even when they don’t make it to the podium.  

This sounds a lot like our careers.  Replace “podium” with “promotion” and “injuries” with “set-backs” and the parallels become clear.  Most of us will never achieve the gold we seek. So, why invest so much in our careers? Like the 90% of Olympians whose big victories elude them, how can we find fulfillment without the top prize? 

Let’s revisit Bob The Cap Catcher.  A few days ago, a US swimmer lost her cap in the pool during her race.  The next event was about to start when one of the officials noticed a small obstruction in the pool and halted the start of the next heat.  Enter a gentleman in a vibrant speedo, who confidently walked in front of the crowded arena, dove into the pool, and retrieved the cap.  The crowd cheered wildly as the scene unfolded.  NBC’s announcer dubbed him “Bob The Cap Catcher”.  It was a fun, light-hearted moment at the Olympic games. 

But “Bob” served a purpose at the event – he had a job to do and he did it with dedication and commitment.  The stark contrast between this older man in a speedo and the elite athletes racing, all doing their jobs at this event, made me reflect on how many of us question, “Am I good enough?” For those swimmers who didn’t make the finals or podium, this question can be particularly agonizing. And for Bob, though he can proudly claim to have swum (briefly) in the Olympics, he might still feel insecure amidst world-class athletes and esteemed judges. 

For athletes, “Am I good enough?” is measured by stopwatches, scores, and judges’ evaluations. For professionals, it’s reflected in salaries, titles, and other metrics. For 99.99% of us, there’s always someone more accomplished, more senior, or more successful. Maybe we’re asking ourselves the wrong question. 

A few years ago, a colleague uttered something so simple, yet so profound: ”There is nobility in doing any type of honest work.”  That framing hit me as so powerful.  It eliminates the scorecard that compares us to others and captures that competing and contributing are what should define us.  Every job, big or small, demands some combination of dedication, resilience, discipline, and perseverance. Anyone who embraces these values is doing virtuous work. Perhaps a better question to ask ourselves is, “Am I competing and contributing to the best of my abilities each day?”

From the athletes who inspire and entertain us to the concession workers dealing with hangry spectators, their honest work is noble.  We need to remember this for ourselves and keep it in mind when interacting with anyone working.

I struggle with insecurity around my hyper-wealthy in-laws, my highly-successful friends, and my talented colleagues.  Like over 90% of Olympians, I likely won’t ever reach my podium.  But when I reflect on my career, I find excitement in the opportunity to compete and contribute. There is integrity and merit in what I do. I hope you feel the same about your own work!

Hire Thought….We often create our own podiums in our careers; achieving a certain salary, reaching a certain title, working for a particular company, etc.  It’s discouraging to see so many achieve these while feeling they remain out of reach for us.  Maybe the odds are not in our favor for our podium finish.  Maybe that’s more than ok as the myriad of factors just didn’t align for us.

Consider framing your career as a chance to compete to the best of your ability and contribute as meaningfully as possible. There’s much decency and goodness in those efforts. If you have the talent and desire to be an Olympic athlete, commit to being the best you can be. If your path is more like Bob the Cap Catcher’s, commit to excelling as a diver and cap retriever. And remember, wear that speedo with confidence!



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