6 Things You Can Learn from Olympic Champion Simone Biles to Dominate Your Business

Simone Biles just won the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics to cement her status as arguably the best gymnast of all time. There are some critical lessons you can learn from her experiences to the top of her sport that you can apply to your business journey.

1) Believe in your potential more than what you have already accomplished. In an interview she stated she didn't want to be known as the next Usain Bolt or Michael, but instead she wanted to be know as the first Simone Biles. What you have already accomplished to this point is wonderful. However, you can't rest on that. You have the potential to do so much more and go so much further.

2) You are your greatest competition. Before the Rio Olympics Simone had already won more world gold medals than any gymnast ever. Yet she didn't allow that to cause her to relax or assume she would automatically win her next gold medal. The question you need to ask yourself every day is, "Am I getting better today than I was yesterday?" Keep raising the bar every day and you will see your improvement grow by leaps and bounds over time.

3) Practice like you're the best in private so you can perform as the best in public. She practices 6 days a week for approximately 32 hours. And she almost always stays on a strict diet of chicken and broccoli. Behind the scenes is where the real work of building a legacy takes place. The public stage becomes the place to demonstrate what you were working on while nobody was watching. Take the time to perfect your talents and gifts. There are no shortcuts and no one can do that for you.

4) Leave your past in the past. Simone wasn't born with a silver spoon (or any kind of spoons) in her mouth so to speak. She came from a very difficult background and the odds were majorly stacked against her. However, she didn't use that as an excuse to stop her from pursuing her goals. Even now she doesn't dwell on what she couldn't control back then. The more you look backwards with a negative mindset the easier it is to make excuses. Learn from your past circumstances and mistakes but don't get stuck there.

5) Block out the negative noise. At her first World Championship gold-medal win in 2013 she was able to move past a racist comment by one of her competitors without flinching. If you took the time to address every critic or hater you won't have any time to work on your business. Stay focused by keeping your attention on you, not on any negative things people have to say about you.

6) Do it all with a big smile. Simone's smile is electric and her attitude makes you want to root for her even more. Although she and others know she's the best you can tell she doesn't throw it in their faces and her teammates genuinely enjoy being around her. You don't have to be mean or cutthroat to do major deals and make big things happen in your business. As a matter of fact you'll go much further treating people with respect and gratitude than being someone people want to avoid.

Simone Biles has shown us what excellence looks like by maximizing her potential in her field. Now it's your turn!