We are the champions

Adversity causes some men to break, and others to break records. — Source unknown

Slumdog Jamal Malik would certainly agree that love and all other important matters in life are the product of destiny’s child.

There is the age-old debate of nature vs. nurture, genes vs. environment. Do we chart our own destinies, or is it all “written” somewhere? The advancement of modern society, however, cannot rely on such an ambiguous concept. We must strive to create structure and systems to foster an environment that hopefully allows people to reach their full potential.

Many old school coaches and professors have proclaimed, “Great leaders are not made, they are born.” Business schools around the world professed that entrepreneurship couldn’t be taught. Like the lofty statements reserved for leaders, the same can be said of entrepreneurs: they are born, not made. Thankfully, it was only in the mid-‘90s that more progressive and forward-thinking institutions paved the way for entrepreneurship programs to be adopted in most major business schools.

A grade school teacher in Long Beach asked the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Snoop Doggy Dog answered, “I want to be a *** hustler.” There must have been tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of wannabe rappers in Long Beach, California. Out of this entire pool of wannabes emerged one Grammy-award nominated rapper named Cordozar Calvin Broadus or — as he is known by millions — Snoop Doggy Dog.

The ascent of this rap star leads one to deduce that his success was a celestial combination of both genetics (his Vietnam vet dad was also a singer) and environment (a formers Crips gang member, he later became Dr. Dre’s protégé). It is the interaction between gene inheritance and personal experience that creates the so-called “outliers” in society — as well documented in Malcolm Gladwell’s book of the same name. Mozart, Beethoven, Albert Einstein, Michael Jordan — any exceptionally gifted and successful human being belongs in this category.

All these great individuals have one thing in common: they changed the rules of the game. Outliers tend to challenge norms. Outliers create a new status quo by pushing the boundaries so that others can strive to achieve or further that new benchmark. It’s essentially being a talented person, and being “there” at the right time. This infallible combination gives extraordinary individuals an extra advantage.

Let’s take a look at Steve Jobs. He left Apple in disgrace in its early days only to bounce back higher and changing the technological landscape through design. The iPod reinvented the portable music player, while the iPhone smashed the limitations of cellular phones. But this goes beyond just building a better mousetrap; it is about continuously doing something better. I served as a panelist during a recent entrepreneurship event of Francis Kong. They asked the panel to define a determining characteristic of an entrepreneur versus a businessman. All the panelists agreed that an entrepreneur strives to do things better, rather than a regular businessman, who may be satisfied with preserving the status quo. Entrepreneurs, I argued, like to disrupt things. They like to challenge the natural order and change how things work. Do I smell an outlier?

I’ve always believed that games have existed to provide human civilization with a forum to cultivate key skills and celebrate success. The Olympics is a primary example of this. Michael Phelps did the US proud when he set a new world record in the 2008 Olympics. Phelps has disproportionately long arms in comparison to his height. He stands 6’4”, but his arms span 6’7”. Genetics no doubt played a role in Phelps’ success as a swimmer. It is unfortunate he was caught on camera using a device used for smoking marijuana; records are meant to be broken, not promises. I have no doubt, though, that Phelps will be back with a vengeance in the London Olympics in 2012. As the saying goes, “It’s not how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get back up.”

Speaking of the Olympics, I plan on starting a movement virally to rally support behind allowing Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao to represent the Philippines in boxing. We just need to bring some gold to our country. Who knows how many years or decades we must endure before the Philippines produces another boxer of equal ability? It was Horace who told us, “Carpe Diem.” The Philippines would be well advised to take this saying to heart. Let’s capitalize on Paquiao’s talent and give the Philippines a chance to take home the gold. The US allows NBA stars to represent the US in the Olympics; why not let Pro-Filipino boxers represent the Philippines?

This leads me to the main purpose of this article. What makes a champion? How does one go from good to great? What does it take to become an outlier?

I believe Tony Blair answered this question well during his Beijing speech in 2008:

“What makes a champion? We must start with an uncomfortable truth: natural talent helps and especially in sport!

“I remember still, almost 45 years ago now, running in my first competitive race at my school Sports Day. I remember the running track, grass freshly mowed. A sunny day. The race was over 440 yards. Four times round our small track. I settled in behind the lead runner, calculating to overtake him on the last bend before the straight run to the finish. The race went to plan until, just as I reached the bend, I tried to sprint forward. Suddenly, my legs just didn’t have the energy. The mental will was there. The physical capacity was not. I remember that feeling of shock and disappointment now as clear as I did then, the disconnection between desire and ability. I still have my silver cup for coming in second. But silver was not what I wanted. I wanted gold.

“We will applaud the champions of the Olympics knowing that most of us would never have been able to do what they have done.

“But I chose to try to be a champion in a different field and it is also true that most people have innate talent at something. Champions are not just athletes. They are scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, philanthropists. They are people who the world sees in photos and on TV, people of fame and wealth. But they are just as often people no one outside a small circle has heard of: champions of compassion, of fortitude under suffering, of works of humanity towards others. Such champions often enjoy less fame or fortune when alive; but are more often commemorated after death. They are champions of the human spirit.

“So it is right that not everyone can be a champion. But many, perhaps even most of us, have the capacity to do something exceptionally well. Most of us have a gift.

“The issue is: how to develop that gift? What are the qualities that take the talent and turn it into an achievement, that translate the ordinary into the extraordinary?

“Because for sure, there is a part, perhaps even the major part of being a champion that is not to do with natural physique or natural intellect but is to do with character, attitude, the dimension of the mind that can be discovered and developed. You can improve.

“You can, in doing so, cross the line between the average and the good and in time even the line between the good and the outstanding.

“It can be dangerous to describe rules of improvement, to try to codify the qualities. Champions are about exceptions, not rules.”

We now live in a virtual world, a digital age. Physical strength was an important asset in 700 B.C. and these assets were honored and celebrated in the Olympiad. I believe that the age of the cyber-athlete has dawned on us. Computer skills and digital proficiency are the skills of the future, and today’s events must celebrate the cyber athlete. Korea has somewhat led the way in this, and I am hoping the Philippines can do so in Southeast Asia. And why not? Even Langley (the CIA headquarters in Virginia) use computer simulations to teach field agents. The Chinese military has also adopted the technique according to a Chinese game developer I met who handles game development for the military. Gaming has clearly gained acceptance as a training tool for highly specialized mission critical jobs. It is only reasonable to host a forum to promote and recognize our cyber-champs.

The Filipino people have chosen their new leader, our new champion, our president. For better or for worse, we must now unite to support the institution that this man stands for. We give our new leader the opportunity to prove himself worthy of the responsibility of leading this country. I would urge our new president to ensure that the Philippines establishes an environment conducive to nurturing local talent; to create a system based on meritocracy (i.e., success on a level playing field); and to champion the interests of the Filipino people in a local and global setting.