In early December, high school runner Holland Reynolds gave us an unintended but memorable lesson in what successful businesspeople do. Just a few feet from the finish line, and carrying her school’s bid to win a state championship on her slender shoulders, Holland staggered and then collapsed.
A race official rushed over to give her two options. She could either be assisted off the track, or she could get one foot over the finish line on her own. Brave Holland chose to get across the finish line by doing the only thing her weakened body could bear; she raised herself up on all fours and crawled. With other runners easily breezing past her, Holland simply put one hand and then one knee in front of the other and slowly made it across the finish line.
Holland said, “I just kept on telling myself, ‘I need to finish and I need to cross the line.’”
When Holland decided she was going to finish the race by any means necessary, she did not take time to wonder if she could make it, she did not think about how she would look as she laboriously pushed herself forward, she did not worry that she might be putting her health in jeopardy – she simply did what was necessary to win.
Had Holland chosen to give up, her teammates, coach and parents would have been disappointed with the loss of the championship, but they would not have blamed her for her physical collapse. They would have been more concerned about her health and would have supported her, nurtured her and worried about her. They would have assured her that she made a “good try.”
Fortunately, “good try” was not part of Holland’s definition of success. To her, success for herself, the team and coach meant making it across the finish line. Finishing was the only successful outcome.
As businesspeople, we set many goals and objectives on our road to success. Every step of the way is filled with a million obstacles that keep us from being a true winner. When this happens, we often redefine our desired goal and settle for less than our original plan. We tell ourselves that we’ve given it our best and friends and co-workers join us in supporting our “good try.”
To real winners like Holland Reynolds, nothing less than success is acceptable. Winners experience setbacks and detours, but treat them as temporary conditions and not permanent roadblocks. Instead of falling victim to the “good try” syndrome, they figure out how to use these trials as building blocks for success.
When she was interviewed, Holland went on to say, “I don’t remember falling, but then I remember crawling across the line.”
That is how it is in life and in business. The joy of accomplishment is remembered forever, while overcome obstacles fade from memory. Winners know that the road to success is not a direct path, and adapt and respond to challenges as they make up their own blueprint for success.
That is why we can all take a lesson from brave 16-year old Holland Reynolds. She demonstrated what winners do. She made it across the finish line, maybe not according to the original plan, but she finished successfully.
Jessica,
Thank you for this article. Holland is still somewhat bewildered by why her actions have caused such media attention. As she says, she has never not finished a race and certainly wasn’t going to let her team or her coach down at the State Meet. Your article will help me explain to her why adults were so affected by her finish. It’s a life lesson in the importance of teamwork and perseverance something that is so much more valuable than a second place State finish.
Kudos.
Holland’s Mom
Thank you so much for your kind words. Please give Holland our best regards and sincere appreciation for her lesson in excellence. She is officially one of our “She-ros”. May god continue to bless you.
The Turning Point team.