072 Cath Bishop on The Long Win

Dr Cath Bishop competed as a rower at three Olympic Games, Atlanta, Sydney and Athens (and I had the privilege of working with Cath throughout her career), with highlights including winning the World Championships in 2003 and an Olympic silver medal in 2004. As a diplomat specialising in conflict issues, Cath was posted to Sarajevo, Bosnia, Basra and Iraq, as well as leading in Whitehall on the UK civilian contribution to conflicts around the world. 

Cath has written a book, out on 13th October 2020, calling on us all to redefine what winning is. Cath brings extraordinary and insight together, back up with numerous anecdotes, references and her own experience to examine what winning has come to mean to society and to us as individuals and offers a fresh perspective on how we might redefine success – personal and professional - for the longer-term.

 

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Notes

Cath discusses the reasons for writing the book, being tested provoking debate and furthering thinking

Cath was a sporting failure at school

Shifting identity to an athlete and competing at the highest level.

Surviving in a high intensity, high performance environment

Relief at results at a high level but could it be reproduced at the Olympics

Being tough, but how much can you take?

When the results don’t match your physiology you realise there is more to performance

Associating failing to perform with your identity, at the time they were the same thing

If you come second you are a loser, but there is and has to be a different way

The longer you compete the more you realise the mental and cultural side of performance has a huge impact

There is a different psychology around ways to motivate it doesn’t need to be base on aggression or a macho narrative which is self-limiting

The Long Win – why are we still relying on outdated mantras and beliefs?

Athletes and even the athletes who are on the winning podium feeling unfulfilled and empty

Role modelling values and the way in which you can role model performance

Why is it important to win the medal? Why is it you train?

What are the costs of the sport you love, are you buying into them, do you understand them?

What is acceptable in the journey to success and what is unacceptable?

Playing to the longer term metric and strategies in both sport and business

Stating a wider purpose other than results

How can we unlock performance in a different way?

The IOC specifically states that competition is not between nations!

Working in partnership with your athlete and to explore unlocking even more

Links

Links for Cath

https://twitter.com/thecathbishop

https://cathbishop.com/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Win-search-better-succeed/dp/1788601912

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