'As an athlete, I tried to take a win-or-learn approach. Business is no different'

562,400 TO ONE. Those are the odds of becoming an Olympic athlete. They are the odds I beat when I represented Ireland at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

This Olympic journey began in Fairview, Dublin and ended in London, England but not before a considerable detour through Knoxville, Tennessee and Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The journey took 16 years, thousands of miles in the pool, numerous gym sessions and more pairs of speedos than I care to remember! Along this journey, I faced adversity and challenges; I had some successes and countless failures.

But the hard work of Olympic athletes is rarely seen, with the endless drills, laps and reps are all done behind closed doors. It’s a lifetime of work that culminates in a 22-second Olympic race.

Now as I move from competitor to spectator, I’m reminded of the challenges I faced transitioning from the pool to the office. At the time, I was afraid that I could not adapt what I’d learned in the sporting world and apply it to ‘the real world’ I knew I had to join.

However, what I’ve learned from this transition is that many of the values that I’d spent my whole life honing for a short race could be used and applied outside of the pool.

Barry Murphy at the London Olympics

These are the traits I carry every day and can be applied in order to excel in all aspects of life, whether this be in sport, work or in your personal life:

1. Demand excellence

With the odds of Olympic qualification stacked against you, it’s important to make every length of the pool count. It means not only demanding excellence from yourself but also from those around you, whether this be a training partner, a teammate or someone you work with.

Committing to do your absolute best no matter the task is ingrained in all athletes; applying this to working life sets individuals and teams up for success.

2. Act like an owner

You can speak to countless coaches and mentors, but for your performance you are fully accountable for the end result. When you see your name and time on the leader board you have to accept it and know that you alone are responsible for the outcome. I think this level of accountability and work ethic is something that every workplace needs.

The people who feel truly accountable for their work and are willing to go the extra mile are the foundations of every successful company. In my job at LinkedIn, a strong focus is put on team and talent, and I have been lucky to work with people who go above and beyond in their daily tasks every day.

3. Take intelligent risks

There are no guarantees that anything will work out. There is no guarantee that the sacrifices made will be worth it. When I was 18 years old, I left Ireland to go the US for the first time for a sports scholarship to college.

I waved goodbye to my family and friends to join an elite college team in the hope of making my Olympic dream a reality. Was I scared? Absolutely.

Sometimes though, in order to go after what we want, we need to step outside of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves with new experiences. Looking outside of our norm allows us to see the bigger picture, different points of view and broaden our horizons.

I’ve tried over the years to take a ‘win or learn’ approach. All experiences provide outcomes to learn and prepare better the next time. Business is no different.

4. Relationships matter

Although swimming is an individual sport, nothing can be achieved on your own. When I look back in on my 16-year athletic career, it is not always standing on the podium that brings back the fondest memories, and it’s certainly not swimming until you can’t feel your shoulders any more.

It is the people you spend the countless hours swimming beside in the next lane, the coaches who have inspired you to be the best you can be. Building relationships is a skill we learn from a very young age but one that cannot be overlooked. I continue to seek relationships in my career that will challenge me, help me grow and inspire me to be great.

Competing in elite-level sport has given me more than medals and memories. It has shaped who I am as a person. The goal of the Olympic Games has always challenged me, inspired me, and at times humbled and frustrated me. It was a 562,400/1 bet I placed on myself. It was a lifetime of commitment to fulfil a dream.

Through that commitment, I learned traits and skills that I will carry for the rest of my life. These skills have brought me to the pinnacle of sport and will continue to serve me throughout the next chapter of my life. Although, I learned these through sport, I believe they can be learned by all.

Never be afraid to ask for help, be accountable for yourself, work hard every day and dream big. This is my recipe for success.

Barry Murphy represented Ireland at the London 2012 Olympics and took a bronze medal in the 50m breaststroke at European level. He is now a senior marketing solutions specialist at LinkedIn.

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