To make it to the Olympic Games, sportspeople must demonstrate incredible determination and commitment. It takes years of gruelling daily training, early starts and a willingness to completely sacrifice one’s social life

Not many of us can show that strength of will, which is why Olympians are such special people. But while we may never be Olympic champions, we can certainly take inspiration from them.

In this article we look at the Olympic athlete’s drive to succeed, how they stay motivated and how ordinary people can harness that same Olympic spirit to achieve their own goals.

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1. Visualise success

This is a simple tactic but according to many top athletes it really works! Picturing yourself acing that job interview or sealing a lucrative new sponsorship deal for your event will help you to believe it is possible.

When you’re working towards a goal, take five minutes daily to think about the scenario in detail. Think about what you see, say, how it smells and feels – if you are able to really bring the scene to life it will make the achievement you desire more tangible. And once you feel like a champion, you’ll start to act like a champion!

2. Take ‘ownership’ of your goal

When you’re tired or stressed and feel like taking a duvet day rather than working on the tasks that will take you closer to achieving your goal, it’s vital to remember why you’re doing it.

You’re not doing it because someone else is telling you to, you’re not doing it for your boss, your parents or your coach; you’re doing it for you. This is your goal, the thing that you want to achieve and you are making a conscious choice to pursue it. Once you remember that, and understand that no one is forcing you to do it, you should feel more motivated to tackle the challenges you face.

3. Love the process, not just the end goal

Olympians must find motivation that keeps them going through endless training that will culminate in just one competition. In order to do that, they have to view training – no matter how punishing – as positive – they have to love it.

The lesson for us is that by accepting and embracing the hard work that takes us towards our goal, we can find satisfaction that actually makes the process enjoyable.

Related: 8 Tips to stay motivated during tough times

4. Review and reward progress

Every time you do something that brings you one step closer to your goal – even if it’s something very small – take the time out to recognise it. At the end of the day, pause to ask yourself, “What positive action did I take today?”

Perhaps you finally picked up the phone to a coveted headline act to invite them to your independent festival, or reached out to a useful contact on LinkedIn – recognising the small actions taken every day will help you feel proactive and more committed to your long-term goal. Allow yourself to feel good about this.

5. Try to be a ‘glass half full’ person

Being generally optimistic and believing that good things are coming your way can give you the motivation to persevere. On the other hand, if you take a defeatist attitude i.e. “This will never happen, the odds are stacked against me,” then you are far more likely to give up.

A positive attitude is an innate trait of champions. Indeed, in a 2002 study where 10 Olympic medallists were asked about their characters every one of them described themselves as “optimistic/positive.”

6. Don’t compare yourself to others

If Olympic athletes focused on the success of their rivals it would be very demotivating. The performance of others is something they can’t control, but they can control their own performance. By putting all their efforts into being the best they can be and not obsessing over the abilities of the competition, they remain in control.

We can do the same. Rather than focusing on a high performing colleague and feeling inadequate (or that competitive event that keeps on-upping you), put them out of your mind. Their performance is not relevant to you. Start thinking about how you can up your own game and feel good about the progress you make.

Related: How to stay positive when things don’t go your way

7. Find yourself a good ‘coach’

Top athletes don’t find success alone; they have an army of people behind them ranging from their coach and agent to physiotherapists, nutritionists and any number of other performance specialists. It is this support network that keeps them on track and helps them to stay motivated.

Your own support network is equally important, so try to involve your partner, kids, parents and friends in your mission and ask them to support you. Or, to take things a step further, try to find a mentor who can act as your coach and provide the experienced advice that will really aid your progress.

8. Break your goals down into bite-sized pieces

Aspiring sportspeople who dream of one day making it to the Olympics don’t train with this singular goal in mind. Before they can get there they know they will have to make many smaller achievements, winning the competitions that will eventually qualify them to take part.

By focusing on their next competition rather than the end goal, climbing the Olympic mountain becomes slightly less of a daunting task. Likewise, you can set yourself short-term mini goals that enable you to taste success along the way, fuelling your appetite for more.

9. Mentally prepare for challenges

If you know that something difficult is approaching, don’t panic or stress out. Take control of the situation by anticipating the challenge and planning in advance some strategies for tackling it.

According to research from the OptiBrain Center, a grape-sized section of the brain called the insular cortex is especially fine-tuned in top athletes, helping them anticipate upcoming pressures and adapt to them quickly. For example, it might help a boxer to better fend off a punch his opponent is beginning to throw, or a gymnast to quickly recover from a slip on the parallel bars. Being mentally prepared for challenges helps you to cope far better when they appear.

10. Develop a (healthy) stress ritual

Most sportspeople have a pre-game ritual that helps them to focus and calm any nerves. If you find yourself in a stressful situation, such as before a job interview or important meeting, take some time to centre yourself just like they do.

Find the ‘zone’ by focusing on prior successes (for example, think about the excellent application letter that won you the job interview and praise you received in previous roles) and visualise a positive outcome of the current situation.

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Conclusion

Olympians may be amazing individuals but there is a process behind their success that anyone can follow. Adopt these 10 motivational strategies and you too can make gold-standard achievements!