On Silver Medals
This week the Olympic games are my only constant. Not only do I love watching these sports, but I love the stories of triumph.
The athletes’ stories and backgrounds are inspiring and motivating…and make me want to get off the couch to work out!
Have you read about the psychology behind medal winners? It’s fascinating!
Thomas Gilovich conducted a study of winning Olympic athletes nearly 30 years ago and said,
“Bronze medalists are one step away from not getting anything. But the silver medalist is one step away from something that’s very different — the winner, the thing that gets you on the Wheaties box.”
Or, as Jerry Seinfeld put it, “you win the bronze – you think, ‘Well, at least I got something.’
Psychologists call this counterfactual thinking. When you win second place, you experience a sense of disappointment. But when you are third, your medal represents victory rather than defeat.
To me, this shows that our mindset and perspective are powerful tools.
We control our reaction to the judgement of our own success.
As pharmacists, we have something in common with the Olympians. We are high achievers, ambitious, and want to impact as many people as possible.
As you go into work next week, keep in mind: It’s not always about the color of the medal, dollar amount, and metric you hit, but also your growth through challenging work and your mindset about the journey.
As always, have a great week, keep learning, and cheering on our team!
Jen
P.S. Update – this was true for my family last week as my son’s team lost in the championship game. It was sad to take second place, until we reflected and were able to celebrate the success of the journey! Thanks to all who were sending good vibes! ⚾️
