.png)
I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a pretty hectic start to the year.
A large reason for this is Aviva’s increasing focus on providing a rounded retirement proposition. Add to that the growing political and social focus on retirement – thematic reviews, perceived poor value of annuities, open market discussions, and the debate over advised versus non-advised. I think you can see where I’m coming from.
At times, it’s easy for me to look at my workload and feel hard done by. At the very least, I need an escape from the day-to-day toil – which brings me to this year’s winter Olympics.
Hard work doesn’t have to mean dull days
For the last few weeks, I’ve spent many hours watching sports I haven’t seen before and, in many cases, don’t really understand.
I’ve found my lack of technical understanding doesn’t really matter. What’s grabbed my attention is the dedication, focus and – for the most part – sheer joy the athletes display.
These people work hard to get in peak condition at the right time, but they love what they’re doing. More than any other competition, I’ve got the impression that just taking part is reward itself. Getting a place on the podium is a bonus.
I think there’s a lot we can all learn from this, not least me.
Borrowing inspiration from Olympic athletes
It’s very easy to get caught up in the corporate world where success is measured by winning an argument, hitting volume targets and exceeding last year’s profit target.
Clearly, these things are essential for all businesses. However, the Sochi Olympic Games made me think of something our CEO said recently, that running a successful business is just an enabler to achieving your wider ambition.
I think we can all take inspiration from the games and the athletes. And using that inspiration in our daily lives could help us resolve some of the issues we face quicker and more easily.
You can share any of your inspiration with me on Twitter – @MrActuary