If you could have a day
To put on a pair of magic glasses
And see the world in a different way
Where human frailties like fear, insecurity and anxiety were concepts difficult to grasp
Instead of obstacles in daily life
Where doing something that you loved and was the highest expression of your talents was a reality instead of a dream
Where you quickly eliminated unpleasant situations and people from your presence and the memories from your consciousness
And a positive attitude was not a fleeting gift mysteriously bestowed upon you or taken away based on life circumstances, but an empowering choice available even in the worst situations
Then you'd have a glimpse of what it's like to be Lance Armstrong
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lance Armstrong's approach to life is remarkably simple and clean, devoid of the psychological "issues" that make life a bitch for ordinary people. It just so happens that he is a professional athlete and an American icon, so the world gets to see and celebrate the results generated when he does what he loves.
The qualities that make Lance a special champion are incredibly complex--a blend of genetics, background, attitude and behavior molded by years of life experience. Sports psychologists would surely have a field day analyzing and dissecting all of this. Yet for Lance, everything must remain ridiculously simple. No one ever won the Tour de France by contemplating winning the Tour de France.
When it's raining, I just put on a rain jacket and go -- this was Lance's metaphoric answer to the question of whether harsh treatment my the media compromised his race preparation or his attitude. Close your eyes for a second and imagine Lance waking up, looking outside, seeing rain, getting dressed appropriately and heading out the door to train without hesitation. Behind this simple, innocent but highly symbolic image lie secrets that lesser performers would kill for.
Most of us don't have to worry about pedaling a bike in the rain, yet we figuratively face some form of inclement weather every day in life. Do you put on a rain jacket and go? Or do you complain, explain, ponder and blame?
One thing that becomes clear when you learn about the story of Lance is his total refusal to consider any alternative but the best: victory, good sportsmanship, total honesty, survival, perfect preparation and giving back.
I wrote the Magic Glasses poem on the heels of an exhausting day where Lance visited my company's annual employee and customer convention in Palm Springs in 2001. From the time his private jet touched down in the early morning until the late night departure, Lance was going non-stop--always the center of attention and endless energy grabs by adoring humans. Instead of allowing himself to be drained and stressed by the schedule, he fed off the energy of his situation and surroundings. Our marketing assistant assigned to chauffeur Lance around the golf course to hopscotch foursomes regaled us with tales of how Lance insisted on taking the wheel and detouring off the path to try and get some air. Another remarked how he made no attempt to hide his true self by being overly slick or polished, instead disarming and immediately connecting with an audience expecting the typical packaged product celebrity.
Lance's conduct that day revealed a secret of his champion status in a more meaningful way than his laboratory test results or competitive intensity on the roads of France. Lance's secret weapon is not his genetic gifts or his killer instinct, for these endowments were shared by many of his competitors. Instead, it is his pure joy for living life and riding his bicycle. Developing the ability to go with the flow and enjoy every experience that life has to offer, even when things don't go exactly as desired or hoped for, is the essence of how Lance lives strong in all areas of life.
Member Comments