Olympic State of Mind

This week the world descends on Rio De Janeiro for the Summer Olympic Games.  The pageantry and excitement hold the attention of the world for the two weeks that world class athletes compete for some of the loftiest accolades in amateur sports.  While the Olympic games bring national pride to any country with participating Olympic athletes, it also is a world-class symbol of diversity.

The  Olympic flag with a white background and rings blue, yellow, black, green and red represents the flags of the

countries when the modern Olympic games started in 1912.   The Olympics is not only built on diversity, but requires diversity. Athletes from across the globe, regardless of race, gender, or national origin come together to create some of the best athletic competitions in the world, and typically in a sportsman like manner.

 This Olympic state of mind that reflects diversity is something we all can continue to embrace in our schools and workplaces.

A diverse state of mind from all those who come to the boardroom or homeroom can help us perform at our personal best. Just like the Olympics require a diversity of talents, our workplaces require such as well.  In a historical moment with a particularly contentious political process, with violence and aggression costing lives for citizens and law enforcement alike, we all can strive for an Olympic state of mind.

I recognize that the troubles facing our society are not simply solved in reflecting on athletic competition; nonetheless, just as a cross section of global athletes and a fair playing field is needed for a successful Olympics, a cross section of diverse citizens and a fair playing field is also needed for us in our day to day walk of life.  Good luck to the United States Olympic Team.