3 Olympic Takeaways, Olivia Benson, & Quotes from the GOAT
It's us, reporting live from the couch, where we've been firmly planted for the past week while cheering on the athletes in Paris. And in our viewing, we've had a few mini revelations that have gotten us thinking about how we approach our own businesses.
Here are our biggest business takeaways from the Olympics:
🔢 Age ain't nothing but a number - In a youth obsessed culture, it can be easy to feel like you're way behind if you haven't hit certain benchmarks at a specific age. (Anyone else feel like a failure when they didn't make one of those arbitrary 30 Under 30 lists? 🙋🏻♀️) This year's athletes are - thankfully! - changing those stereotypes. At 58, Laura Kraut became the oldest medalist in 72 years, Diana Taurasi is going for gold medal NUMBER 6 at age 42, and Katie and Simone have both shattered age records with their recent gold medal wins. These Olympics have been a reminder that as you get older, you gain clarity on your goals, have lots of valuable experience to learn from, and get more adept at handing the challenges that come your way.
(Also, in case you needed a reminder that with age comes confidence, LOOK AT THIS GUY.)
😨 Don't be scared to niche down - It can sometimes feel scary to really focus on a specific niche in your business. "But what if I miss out on great opportunities because I'm just focused on this one thing?" you might be asking yourself. But we can all learn something from Stephen Nedoroscik, aka Pommel Horse Guy. When the American gymnast realized that he was only progressing on the pommel horse and not the other apparatus, he didn't put his energy into the other events to "catch up." And just as important, he didn't throw the towel in because he wasn't going to make it to the big leages as an all-arounder. He decided to niche down and become a specialist, bringing home two bronze medals (and winning the internet) in the process. The lesson? Choosing a niche that you love and that feels flowy and natural can pay off big time.
💪 Resilience is key - We all fall and go through challenging times in our businesses. Maybe you lost a big client, a product launch didn't go as planned, or you had to shut down a business you really loved. We've been there and it sucks. But it doesn’t have to determine your future success. As Adam Grant says, “resilience is not about how quickly you bounce back - it's about how fully you recover.” Just look at Simone Biles’s redemption tour, Suni Lee coming back from debilitating kidney disease, and Zeng Zhiying qualifying for the Olympics at 58. And of course, we can't forget Celine's career-defining performance from the Eiffel tower. We’re not crying, you’re crying.
Scroll down for upcoming events, croissant shirts, gymnastics content, and a discount on our favorite meal kit!
🪢 Laura + Lauren
Interesting Insights
Five Ways Entrepreneurs Can Become More Resilient
To thrive as an entrepreneur, you need to develop a resilient mindset — which involves embracing uncertainty.
Harnessing The Optimism Of Resilience In Entrepreneurship
How to examine your “failures” and integrate the learnings to help you grow.
Things We Loved This Week
Laura’s Things
🤸♀️ This tribute to an American hero.
📈 Forbes 50 over 50 (See Point 1 above).
📷 This totally valid reason to learn Photoshop.
🥐 This shirt from one of my favorite brands that features one of my favorite things.
🎻 I turned the song from Suni Lee's floor routine into a Spotify radio station and it's my new go-to for focused work.
Lauren’s Things
🚺 This excellent discussion of menstruation at the Olympics and in sports broadly.
🩳 If Gen Z is bringing back Soffe shorts, then Millennials have some rules. (Thank you for your adherence, Simone & Jordan.)
🥹 Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee acting exactly as uncool as I would meeting Olivia Benson.
🥘 This meal service that keeps me deliciously fed and on budget when I'm having a week too busy to consume long-form content. (If you'd like to try it yourself, our linkgets you $50 off your first meal + free delivery.)
To Tie Things Up…
"Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another, we’re strongest when we cheer each other on.”
— Serena Williams
