Reaching for Gold in Life

                              



It's hard to watch the Olympic Games without wishing we were up on the podium, bowing to accept a medal, blowing kisses to the cheering crowd, basking in the admiration of the world.

I've been watching the games with my girls these past couple of weeks.  "I want to be in the Olympics," I hear them say. They want the accolades, the grandeur, the followers on Facebook and Twitter.  "First," I remind them, "you have to get off the couch."

Most of us will never make it into the Olympic Games, but we are all contestants in an Olympic arena of sorts - that is, those of who realize we are in the game.  The game is Life itself, and its playing fields are many.

In the business arena, for example, as in sport, success begins with a dream. Qualification is much easier than in the Olympic realm.  You form a corporation, print some business cards, and you're in the competition.

From that point, it's all a question of aspiration.  How hard are you willing to work to achieve success?  What sacrifices are you willing to make?  How much are you willing to invest, both literally and figuratively? How early are you willing to get up in the morning? How many hours of training are you willing to put in every day? How many times are you willing to fail, and get up and try again? To what lengths are you willing to go?  How much practice, how much pain, how much postponement of immediate gratification are you willing to endure?

To achieve success at the Olympic Games - to win a gold, silver or bronze medal - requires tremendous talent and effort and sacrifice. Only three can stand on the podium.   But the winners' podium in Life is much larger than the one at the Olympic Games. To be sure, you can get on it.   In the world of business, you don't have to make it to the very pinnacle to get the gold or the silver or the bronze. There's plenty of gold and silver to go around in the upper part of the triangle.

But, first you have to get off the couch.  Then you can reach for the gold and silver that can be yours.

Why Is This Man Upset with the Executive Office Center?

The Executive Office Center Discourse on Business invites blog post contributions from members of the business community.  This anonymous writer has a grievance against virtual office services.

I’m not a person who likes to complain, but I think that virtual office centers like the Executive Office Center at Fresh Meadows are unfair to commercial landlords.  I own an office building around the corner.  It’s always been full.  Now I have a 30% vacancy rate because of these guys.

Why?  What did they do to you?

It’s not what they did.  It’s what they do.

These guys give you everything.

They give you furniture.

They give you telephone service.

They give you internet service.

They pay for your gas and electric.

They pay for your cleaning.

They pay for everything!

I mean they even have a secretary who answers your phones.

Now, how can I compete with that?  I got a regular office building.

Well, it’s not their fault, really.  That’s the type of building it is.  That’s how they operate.

You think having a cafeteria in their building is fair?  You think it’s fair to have a beautiful conference room for all the tenants to use?

Do you know that you can rent Queens office space in here on a part-time basis?  You think that helps me?  I mean, you don’t even have to sign a long term lease with these guys.  They just let you use an office whenever you want one. 

Now is that fair?  I’m asking you.  That’s why I am protesting against this injustice to regular commercial building owners.