Page 1 Page 2

“Did you see that?! Wow! Incredible!”

These are merely a few things that come to mind when world-class athletes take center stage and set us in awe during transformational moments in sports. Our favorite athletes make their craft look effortless, yet there is something even more spectacular happening behind the scenes.

Sponsored Post: This post is brought to you by Visa Small Business. From now through August 31st, visit Inc Magazine’s Guide to Visa Business of the Olympics to learn about Team Visa Olympic athletes who are also dedicated small business owners. Visit Visa Business’s newly-launched Facebook Page and follow @VisaSmallBiz for ways to help make your small business more efficient and successful. Discover more at http://visa.com/business.

There’s no question that high performance athletes have natural talent, dedication, and drive. They devote their lives to their sport in hopes of being the best in the world.

World-class athletes inspire us, transform our ideals of what’s possible and give us hope for the future. “Exceptional skill in others often sparks admiration, forcing us to rethink what’s possible,” says Melanie Rudd of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. “But to be truly awe-inspiring, an achievement must be so grand that it leaves us feeling overwhelmed and humbled by greatness.”

High Performance Business Lessons

Can the same high performance fundamentals be applied to entrepreneurs to yield awe-inspiring achievement? I believe so.

The same methodology that transforms raw talent into world-class performance can be “put to the test” in entrepreneurs. So, if you’re ready to develop breakout potential, here are five business lessons entrepreneurs can learn from high performance athletes:

1. Train like a champion.

No matter how talented or driven an athlete is, they must train hours a day to perfect their skills and maintain peak levels of performance. If athletes plan on being the “best in the world” they realize the importance of perfecting preparation. And preparation starts with rigorous training. In fact, “The average world class athlete trains approximately 23 hours a week.”

The same notion applies to business. Train like a champion by creating a business regimen that delivers results. Dedicate time and energy to executing ideas, enhancing operations and streamlining your workflow.

And if you need a training facility, look no further than your local business incubator or co-working space to find high-quality environments with accessible facilities to start training weeks or months before the “games” begin.

2. Commit to the process.

Most athletes will attest to this fact, “People don’t know the process which [athletes] undertake in their individual sports to reach the [competitive] levels … You get there by sticking it out. There [are] a lot of people that try and give up.”

The same rule applies in business. Accept the process of transformation that occurs when you become an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is a marathon – not a sprint. The business development road ahead is rewarding and challenging, but the most important thing to remember is “never give up.”

Page 1 Page 2