Business Advice from a 3 Time Gold Medalist
“We don’t always have to be the ones with the most talent, but we can be the ones with the most success.”
Leah O'Brien-Amico
Leah Amico has traveled all over the world playing softball and is a three-time gold medalist, winning medals for the United States in softball.
Leah started her athletic career back in college when she was recruited out of Southern California to play for the University of Arizona on a softball scholarship. While just 18 and a freshman, Amico helped score the winning run for Arizona to win the championship game. Her next season playing, Leah moved from pitching to playing in the outfield, which was the defining moment in her career. It wasn’t something she expected, but rather than call it quits, she embraced the change and made it onto the US Olympic team two years later.
“Age doesn’t matter…(especially) the expectations other people put on us. We can do whatever our passions, dreams, and goals are, no matter what age we are.” - Leah O'Brien-Amico
At 26, Leah was in the best shape of her life and a mom. She then went on to win her second gold medal in Athens, Greece, and at 29 to win her third gold medal.
Since her Olympic experience, she’s had multiple opportunities to share her story all over the country.
She loves to help high school students understand that passion, perseverance, belief, and hard work can help bring you the things in life you never thought possible.
When Leah changed positions in her second year of college, she embraced the new position rather than dig her heels in and complain. She wanted to be one of the best players out there, so she put in the work and allowed God to show her new opportunities.
When Leah was apart of the Olympic team, she gained success from her teammates' talents and strengths. They all possessed a different skill set, but they all worked together and won the gold medal on behalf of the United States three summer games in a row.
Coaches who build you up are a vital ingredient to success. They are the ones who keep you just a little more focused and help you visualize how you are going to achieve your goal. They may not reinvent the wheel, but they can see what you may not see in yourself. Leaders, mentors, and others help you embrace the shift and learn betters ways of accomplishing our end goals.
It's essential to be around like-minded people and people who hold you accountable. It's critical to have a support system where people are willing to provide constructive feedback and not always be that "yes" man/woman-type person. When you are apart of a team, you do what's best for everyone's success, and sometimes that means providing/receiving feedback, constructive criticism, and help.
“ Do it scared. If you have an opportunity to do something, even if it makes you scared or you feel unprepared, just do it.”
- Leah O'Brien-Amico
Even if you fail first, the lesson you learn in that initial experience will propel you toward understanding what’s expected and to making the proper adjustments. Then, you’re more likely to crush the next opportunity. Be willing to fail because even through our failures, you learn a lot, and are shaping yourselves into the best person you can be.
“Go for it 100% and leave it all on the table.” - Leah O'Brien-Amico
Being mad and complaining about things doesn’t get you anywhere anyway. When you love what you’re doing, the road can look different, and it can change, but if you take a positive perspective, you’re more likely to achieve success.
Remember why you do what you do, even when it’s uncomfortable. What is the thing that is driving you to reach for the stars?
The most important thing to remember is to control the controllables. What can you control? What can’t you control? You can control your attitude. You can’t control other people’s responses. You have control of your space and how hard you’re able to work to stay confident while being uncomfortable.
To learn more about Leah, visit her website or you can also find Leah on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter at leah20usa.
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