Vision will ensure a good landing. Photo Credit: snowboarding.com

Whilst watching the Winter Olympics  over the weekend, we couldn’t help but comment on the number of athletes competing after recovery from serious injuries. Traumas  included cracked sternums, dislocated shoulders, dislocated knees, concussion,  broken ankles … the list goes on.

It makes the achievements of these athletes even more awesome and reminds again that fulfilling the dream can be  a long and sometimes arduous journey.

In the face of obstacles such as serious injuries  these athletes stayed true to their vision of participating  in an Olympic games.  For businesses experiencing difficult times, returning to your  values and vision  can help renew strength, focus  and commitment.  As a foundation to all business activities, values and vision  align focus of energy and resources,  and therefore facilitate   cost effective business and marketing strategies.

As business owners,  during the periods of  wondering what we are doing and our reasons for doing it, values and vision can help get us through the challenging times and onto the next stage.  Like these amazing athletes.

Has knowing your values and having a vision helped you in your business?  I’d love to hear.

Update: The examples and inspiration keep on coming …!  Was interested to hear that Tessa Virtue, one half of the gold medal winning ice dancing duo, missed most of the 2008/2009 season due to surgery to relieve exercise induced chronic shin pain. Her partner, Scott Moir, continued to train maintaining strength by substituting a sand bag and weighted exercise balls  for his  partner. It was the first time that Canada won the Olympic ice dancing event – and only the third time in history that the win was achieved by  any other than a Russian or Soviet couple. Virtue and Moir held the dream and kept their vision!

Resilience and focus on the vision. Congratulations Torah Bright! (Photo: www.coomaexpress.com.au)