What 400m hurdles taught me about innovation
On 28 August 2000, a month before the Sydney 2000 Olympics, I stepped onto the track for the final of the women’s 400m hurdles final at the Australian Olympic Trials. I had spent the previous ten weeks training in the northern hemisphere, to prepare myself, competing in races in the USA as well as the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Sweden and Belgium. The fastest three athletes in each event of the Australian Olympic Trials that achieved an A qualifying time would represent Australia at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. I crossed the line in third place. First, second, and fifth placegetters were selected in the Olympic Team. I gave it my best, but ultimately my time was not fast enough — I hadn’t achieved an A qualifying time. It was the last 400m hurdles race I would ever run. I was devastated. It was a goal I had been working towards for the past decade. My dream of making an Olympic team was over.
What I didn’t realise at that moment was that my athletics career taught me so much more than I could have ever imagined. I am forever grateful for the experiences, friendships and life lessons. Nearly two decades later, I’ve put together a manifesto that draws on my experiences and reflections as an athlete to draw parallels to my ongoing work in innovation.
1. Build your innovation muscles
I trained hard. In my peak years, I trained around 12 sessions per week. I could spend anywhere between two and five hours training in the gym or on the track per day. I was always searching for an ‘edge’ to be better — faster, stronger, and a more technically proficient hurdler. Just about anyone can watch a video or attend a one-off training session to learn how to run a 400m hurdles race, but to become one of the best requires skill and practice.
As an athlete, I worked with the very best to build my mental and physical skills, and to push myself to excel. I worked closely with a running coach, hurdles coach, sports psychologist, physiotherapist, sports medicine doctor, masseur, and dietician. And now as an innovator, I continually build my skills and practice, spending almost a month a year on personal development.
Just like 400m hurdles, innovation is not a one-off activity. Anyone can attend a training session on innovation and learn an innovation process. However, to be a great innovator, you need to build your skills and apply them as a daily practice. Ask yourself, what areas do you need to improve? Who can you learn from to develop your muscles in innovation?
2. Learn from failures
In 1999, I was at the start line of the Australian Championships 400m hurdles final. I was running some of my fastest times ever. As I cleared the final hurdle in lane 6, I passed competitors on the inside lanes. I was in the lead, and I felt confident I was going to win. But what I failed to notice was a competitor closing in on me in lane 7. We both lunged at the finish line, and I lost the race. She ran 57.05, while I ran 57.09 — beating me by .04 of a second. I got so distracted by my competition and the outcome of the race, I failed to focus on the mechanics of my own race. I tightened up and strained as I crossed the finished line — ultimately costing me the win. Winning is intoxicating, but I learnt the most about myself, including how to improve when I lost.
Failure is a great learning tool. I conduct a post-review for every innovation project –always striving to do things better. Ask yourself, what went well? What didn’t go well? What else could I have done? What could I or should I do differently next time?
3. Be prepared for anything
Grand Prix events were the pinnacle of the Australian athletics season, held in the summer and often attracting prominent international athletes. The women’s 400m hurdles race always followed the men. The men’s hurdles were set at 91.4cm in height and the women’s at 76.2cm — a considerable difference. Immediately after the men’s race, officials would step onto the track and push the hurdles down two notches. In one Grand Prix event in Sydney, as myself and several others approached the final hurdle, we realised the last one had mistakenly been left at the men’s height. I just accepted this as my new reality and charged at the hurdle (albeit a little higher than usual).
We all have a need for certainty. However, the magic of innovation happens when we follow a process but are also prepared for anything — for multiple pathways and possibilities. Are you prepared to let go to the known to make space for new, unknown insights and ideas?
4. Run your own race
In 1997, I made the final of the 400m hurdles at the Australian championships. At the start of this race, the TV commentators commented that I was considered a potential contender for a minor medal.
I started strong and confident in this race. More than half of the field went out harder than me, but I didn’t allow myself to get distracted. I kept focused on my own race. At the fourth flight of hurdles, I was passed on the inside of my lane by the clear favourite.
By hurdle 8 with only 100 metres to run, I was in third place, roughly 10 metres behind the leader. I was just in medal contention. I continued to move up through the field and cleared hurdle 9 in second place. As I approached the final hurdle 10, I noticed the leader was starting to tire, beginning to lose momentum and falter. It was at this point that I felt a massive surge of adrenaline, and found a burst of self-confidence in that race I had never experienced before. I ran past her to win. I pumped my fist and threw my arms in the air in exhilaration. Not only did I win an Australian title, but I also took nearly a second off my personal best time of 58.65 to run 57.64. It is a moment in my life that I will treasure forever.
Don’t get distracted by your competition. We can get caught up in what our competitors are doing, and even try to copy them. When you stay focused, anything is possible! Are you sticking to your game plan?
5. Step into the arena
Before many races, I had a mental battle with fear, self-doubt and comparison. In 1998, I represented Oceania in the 400m hurdles in Johannesburg at the IAAF World Cup. There were eight people in each race, representing eight continents around the world. In my race was the 1996 Olympic Champion, 1996 Olympic Silver medallist and the 1997 World Champion. I stepped onto the track that day feeling like I had made an Olympic final. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. But that day I stepped into the arena and as Brene Brown has referenced about stepping into the arena I was greeted with “seats and people.”
Everyone has a problem to solve or a great idea. However, you first need to have the courage to show up and give it a go. Are you prepared to step into the arena and chase a worthy cause while daring greatly?
I want to leave you with this excerpt from a speech by Theodore Roosevelt from 1910.
Curious?
Interested in learning more about how to build your muscles in innovation?
Evette Cordy // evette@agentsofspring.com // + (61) 412367689 // www.agentsofspring.com
As an innovation expert, registered psychologist and the chief investigator and co-founder at Agents of Spring, Evette uses curiosity and creativity to helps organisations to create human-centred products and services and facilitates new ways of thinking in organisations. She is the author of Cultivating Curiosity: How to unearth your most valuable problem to inspire growth.
