11 lessons Tokyo 2020 Olympics taught me

Well...I would say I have always been a sports person, though not a committed one. This is how the Tokyo 2020 Olympics caught my interest. It was shifted to this year due to the coronavirus that engulfed the globe. Lifestyles were altered, as a result, we had to think of new/innovative methods and ways of living. That was the good part. While some industries recorded losses, it was the opposite for some others. The period marked high pivoting and shift to virtual meetings. Maybe it was the needed wave of change.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics kicked off on the 23rd of July, 2021. My whole excitement was ruined by the 'powerful' PHCN who abruptly didn't give us power on the day of the opening ceremony. Thankfully, social media came to the rescue. I was able to catch up on all the highlights. I will be honest, I was drawn more to the women's competition because I saw myself in the athletes/players. This made me remember the last time I was involved in a competition. That was in my NYSC days serving as a volleyball player for my platoon. That was a memorable experience, my only regret was that I was selected for the tournament so I was an extra player who became a spectator kind of.

Now that the Olympics has ended, it leaves me with so much pleasure to witness this once in the four years remarkable event. Watching the games, I was quick to pick up several lessons and I would share as follows:

1. Competition is not bad

There is a popular opinion that you should never compete with people and that the only person you should compete with is yourself. However, I beg to differ. Provided there is an enabling environment, you have the time, resources, capacity, and meet the criteria, competition is healthy. Women can compete with other women provided they were all given fair conditions and they have all it takes. It spurs one to work hard to be best or stand out as it were. Do you know the feeling of victory after competing? It is matchless. That is the height of achievement. According to American psychologist, Abraham Maslow, the human hierarchy of needs ends at self actualisation and that is the desire to become the most that one can be. Winning i.e. being the best is one of the superb feelings in life when you know you worked hard for the victory. 

2. There is an amount of luck needed in winning

This is what we would attribute to as God's grace. Hard work, having the right team, and strategy are not enough, you needed 'extra oil', that is where good luck abi Grace of God comes in. I watched the final women's football competition between Canada and Sweden. Going by my analysis, Sweden played a better game. They had the headstart with an opening smooth goal. They could have ridden on that goal pedestal to activate their victory but the careless tackle that resulted in a penalty from Canada changed the whole game. The game ended in a penalty shoot-out and that was not based on skill, it was like 60% luck. That was how Sweden win the day.

3. There are no shortcuts to victory

Some athletes had plans to go for gold medals. They decided to go through shortcuts by taking drugs to boost their performance. From the dope tests, they were discovered and hence disqualified. This shows that when you do 'wuru wuru', you only expect to get the same. I don't even think that that kind of victory is fulfilling. Asides from being publicly announced and acknowledge, there is an inward victory that you can always be proud of. That is the one that your conscience tells you 'My good and faithful servant, you have fought the good fight, you have finished the race well. There is a proverb that there is no soft pillow as a clear conscience. If the victory was through dubious means or unmerited, deep down, your conscience knows and tells you, you are a loser. No matter how you try to cover up, you can't continue to thrive on self-denial or the truth.

4. Teamwork can never be ignored

The beauty of teamwork is that everyone is working for a common goal and good. It makes the work easier especially when every team member brings in their uniqueness and strengths. While they may have shortcomings, someone else can make up for it and that's how victory is ascertained. Watching the basketball games of the Olympics, I saw how players pass the ball amongst themselves. They gave everyone the opportunity to shine and the credit went to the team for every point scored. It was difficult for one player to score a point without the help of others. The victory is even sweeter when the players win as a team than a solo effort.

5. The role of a coach cannot be undermined

A coach is someone who uses his/her experience to support a learner or client or athlete to achieve a specific personal or professional goal through the provision of training and guidance. Have you noticed that every sport has a coach? There is no athlete or player without a coach. They need to develop and build from the expertise of the more experienced person. This goes to show the importance of a mentor. It is not advisable to do life alone. We need mentors and coaches to serve as a compass to where we are headed. It saves us time, effort, and unnecessary mistakes or regrets. Besides having someone to who you are accountable is a big motivation to be at your best.

6. Winning is not about the prize

For the first time in a long while( 113 years specifically) in the Olympic game, a medal was shared. Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi shared a gold medal in the men's high jump. Both had jumped 2.37 metres and fell short on 2.39 metres. Neither of them committed any fouls and they had become inseparable with an expected tiebreaker. An opponent developing an injury was an opportunity for him to take the gold whole-heartedly but instead, he was glad to share. That was how both athletes shared a gold medal. Winning is not selfish, it has an element of sportsmanship and it is gracious. 

7. You need support

Though this time around there was no crowd or fans to cheers athletes, they had support from people, coaches, and team members on the bench. Knowing that you have the support of family, friends, and fans who encourage you all the way would motivate you to 'not want to fall their hands'. Focus is needed in all games but having it at the back of your mind that people are looking out for you is more encouraging. Encouragement is like fuel for a car, it makes it function well and fast.

8. Don't be a spectator

I think it is better to be the one doing the work. As in ....you are active on the track or field like the athletes at the just concluded Olympics. This implies you are not just a spectator, you are making things happen. Athletes were representing their countries and that is a big honour. They were doing something impactful and were not among those cheering, criticising, or just observing. In life, don't be a spectator, be active...Be the value giver, the ambassador, the change agent, and the player!

9. Don't give up!

In the face of tough opposition, it is easier for your opponent to take over and win smoothly. However, when I was watching a football match, I saw that the losing team still gave it their all till the final whistle. They did not stop by the way or back out. We all know that feeling of staying behind and it appears the whole essence of a thing is defeated, it could be very discouraging. The 'never say never' attitude is what keeps one going because anything can happen. Didn't you hear of one football match, can't recall the teams, that the losing team equalise at the last minute at the extra time then it progressed to a penalty shootout which they eventually won. It was a giant leap from the back to the front, can you beat that?

10. Preparation

Proper planning precedes any competition. If you want to win any competition, you need ample time to prepare. A man of God once said that you don't prepare IN, you prepare FOR what you want to venture in. I noticed that Nigeria could have done better if it had prepared well for the Olympics. A lot of factors attributes to their poor performance from poor planning, mismanagement of funds, corrupt officials, lack of infrastructure, nepotism to mention a few. The good part is that we have another period of four years to make up for our losses in the next Olympics come 2024.

11. Never return empty-handed

Over 200 countries participated in Tokyo 2020 Olympics but it was not all of them that won medals. While it would have been better to clear the medal tables, I think it is shameful to have won no medal at all. Participation is not enough, the countries are expected to at least leave with something. It may not be as many as the winner, but just something to hold on to or take pride in. A warrior never returns empty-handed.