For those who are paying attention to the Olympics in Canada, you cannot miss the use of the slogan… “I Believe”. There’s been much written about this slogan and I want to weigh in with my thoughts… perhaps even my beliefs.
The Olympics is all about performance and results. It is about healthy competition (yes, actually competing against one another as well as yourself). Many things contribute to one’s ability to perform (whether that is in the Olympics, in the office, or at home). And, one of the fundamental building blocks to success is belief.
Once we believe, then we can allow it to happen. Now, to be clear, unsubstantiated beliefs will not make anything happen. But, lack of belief for something that is substantiated can be a road block. For example, research shows that unqualified affirmations don’t have any affect in a persons ability to perform. But, affirmations that are grounded in seeds of truth do reinforce successful performance.
So, how does this affect the Olympic slogan? Well, I like the slogan because it is the starting point for where we need to come at the Olympics. We need to believe (as Canadians anyway), that our elite athlete programs are producing individuals who are competing at the top of their game and that this is at the very top in the world. Something that we generally do not assume.
Although this message is important to Canadians in general, probably the most important audience for this are the Canadian athletes themselves. They need to know that with their hard work and effort it is very possible for them to do well, to be world class, and to obtain a medal. The results are showing. Although we will likely not get quite as many medals as we did in the last Winter Olympics, we are getting more gold. A pedestal that we are getting more comfortable standing on. That is a great result.
So, what is my take on this slogan. I love it. And, I think it’s something that everyone can use in their own relay race through life.
Belief is where is begins.
Posted by Paul Frazer 
