No One is Coming to Save Us
Bland, bleak or bullish, the future is in our hands
“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” — Jer 29:11
“We are in a world of hurt” — Dr Francis Collins, Director of USA National Institute of Health on where we are with COVID-19.
“Code Red for Humanity.” That is how the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, described the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) report on the planet’s future.
Nature is on the rampage. News agencies are reeling out a long roll of destructions wrought by the ravaging trilogy of natural disasters — heatwaves, floods and drought. There are wild bush fires in Greece, devastating floods in Venice, and heatwaves in Spain. But we are not only contending with the whims of nature.
We are witnessing unprecedented levels of man’s inhumanity to man. There is untold human suffering and carnage dispensed in raging wars from Afghanistan to Mozambique and Ethiopia.
The tapestry of the future is a bleak image. There is hardly anything in the news to indicate a chance of a better posterity.
But two men created a moment of magic that lit up TV screens worldwide.
The sport of high jump, and indeed the Olympic movement, witnessed an extraordinary moment in history, eclipsing the Fosbury flop in 1968. Dick Fosbury introduced a jumping style that one coach said: “could wipe out an entire generation of high jumpers because they will all have broken necks.” Fosbury set an Olympic record to win gold at the 1968 Mexico games by going over the bar headfirst and landing on his back.
Roll forward 54 years. Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy used the popularised Fosbury flop to make history at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. Barshim led the two men into creating a moment last seen 113 years ago.
Without an outright winner after regulations attempts, the official informed the athletes that they would have to decide the winner in a jump-off. Barshim, the reigning world champion, promptly inquired — “Can we have two golds?” To which the official replied -
“It’s possible, yes.”
That resounding “yes”, sent Barshim and Tamberi into ecstatic celebrations with hugs, slapping handshakes, tears and uncontrollable rolling on the floor.
The exceptional sportsmanship gesture etched a symbol of hope in our hearts and restored our faith in humanity’s kindness, humility, and friendship.
We can plot a promising trajectory in posterity if we apply these five simple lessons from the gold-sharing moment at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics to our life, work and business.
1) We can win together. One man’s win does not have to be another’s loss.
2) Play to stay in the game and not only to find a winner and a loser.
3) Together, we win more. Two golds are better than one.
4) Challenge the status quo. Barshim asked for something not done in over a century.
5) Each one, lift one. Barshim could have gone for the jump-off, believing he has the advantage as world champion. But he chose to share the Olympic champion title with his opponent.
We face significant challenges in unprecedented times. But if we are kind to one another, nature will be kind to us.
“We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.” — Nelson Mandela.
Book recommendations
Here are two book recommendations on playing to stay in the game and making a difference:
a) Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
Make Your Bed. Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe the World by William H. McRaven
Citations
Here are three quotes to help you play to stay in the game.
“To ask, “What’s best for me” is finite thinking. To ask, “What’s best for us” is infinite thinking.” — Simon Sinek.
“Great leaders are the ones who think beyond “short term” versus “long term.” They are the ones who know that it is not about the next quarter or the next election; it is about the next generation.” — Simon Sinek
“You cannot paddle the boat alone. Find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your success depends on others.” — William H McRaven.
