It never ceases to amaze me how successful professional habits in sport are very similar in business.
This week I attended the famous Spring Carnival of horse racing in Melbourne at the famous Flemington Racecourse. 4 days of fabulous horses, on average better than 80,000 in attendance each day & millions in prize money.
The TOP jockey with most wins over the 4 days of the Carnival was Craig Williams, & on Thursday 30 minutes before The Oaks race was run I noticed a jockey in green silks out on the track inspecting the best section of the track to ride his horse, Brazilian Pulse, in the last 200 metres. Turned out it was Craig Williams.
It had been raining on & off for around 7 days prior. He was the ONLY jockey that I noticed checking the track just before a race at any of the 3 days I was watched. Williams professionalism paid off as his horse won beautifully, & he steered the horse straight down the path he had walked on 30 minutes prior.
The point I am making is that in business the same things happen, the person who plans their course, checks it, visualizes it, makes corrections, often is the winner & is most successful. Craig Williams made his own luck, he wasn't always on the form horse, but his impeccable planning showed through, irrespective of bad weather & heavy tracks.
Business is so much like this isn't it? The journey isn't always easy, but sporting attributes & success attributes in business are often times paralleled.
I am so grateful that I work with like minded entrepreneurs who realise the value in being responsible for their own results, just like Craig Williams.
