5 Traits Simone Biles can Teach You About Business

This weekend my Facebook feed exploded with news about Simone Biles defying history by, first, dismounting from the beam with a double double, a double backflip with two twists, and then performing a triple double, a double backflip with three twists, on the floor.

You can say she defied physics with this move. Others have said it was due to physics but that analysis is beyond my pay-grade. Regardless, performing either of these moves was unheard of in competition before Biles’ completion this past week.

This isn’t the first time Biles has gone against the history books. She has multiple moves named after her and holds many record-breaking medals in her arsenal.

While she has been training for these moments most of her life, U.S. Gymnastics continues to flounder over the past year with the Nassar scandal and declaring bankruptcy.

Regardless of what you think of U.S. Gymnastics, Biles holds many traits that are essential to maintaining a good business mindset.

Here are 5 of my take-aways from Biles’ record breaking heights when applied to business:

Simone Biles is… Committed

The one thing involved in Biles’ and most gymnast’s careers are commitment to the sport.

While they take breaks, as any athlete is bound to do, gymnasts must be committed to their craft. They have a standard they must meet and they aim and make a commitment to themselves to exceed that standard.

Biles has shown that within the past week. She exceeded her expectations by making a historic feat. She could have stopped at obtaining her 6 Championship medal but she decided to add a new move into the competition books of gymnastics.

There is a common piece of advice that I’ve heard when looking for advice on business: When you’re reaching for $1 million, reach as if you were reaching for $10 million.

Biles tries to make the $10 million attainable and the original goal. She commits to her goal and follows through.

Simone Biles is… Tenacious

As I previously stated, U.S. Gymnastics has not had a good year.

With over 300 girls testifying against him, Nassar, a former doctor to the Women’s Gymnastics team, landed a 175 year prison sentence for serial child molestation.

Biles is one, if not the only, gymnast in competition who was affected by Nassar. Some of her other notable teammates from the Rio Olympics, like Aly Raisman, are out of competition or retired.

Despite being angry or depressed about the situation, Biles continuously faced and fought those demons every time she went into the gym. She provides a great quote regarding her return to the gym to the Washington Post:

“It’s just really sad because every time I go to the doctor or training, I get worked on [by physical therapists]; it’s like I don’t want to get worked on, but my body hurts. I’m 22. At the end of the day . . . I have to put in the therapy. It’s just hard. I’ll work through it. It’ll take some time. I’m strong. I’ll get through it. But it’s hard.”

Trauma is nothing to shrug off. Biles credits her amazing trainers to helping her through the ordeal along with many other supporting factors as well. She is continuing to go to the gym, when she is able, and put in the time to create a new normal and healthy routine for her career.

Simone Biles is… Curious

The best part about watching a Simone Biles routine is the unending curiosity that she brings for her audience.

She has been doing the triple double for years. She put it into her routine because she wanted to see if she could do it.

Biles continuously pushes boundaries, but not necessarily because they are considered boundaries. She’s curious about her limits and what she is capable of doing. She pushes herself because she wonders about the possibilities she can achieve, not what kind of records she can break.

Being curious is natural in business. As entrepreneurs, we should be questioning things that push boundaries. Many of today’s companies are based on that same curiousity.

What if we didn’t put the taxi company in the palm of the public’s hand? We wouldn’t have Uber.

What if we didn’t make the Internet a networking platform? We wouldn’t have Facebook or social media for that matter.

There are so many things Biles is teaching us about being curious through her routines. Learn from her curiosity.

Simone Biles is… Self-Assured

Every time Biles finishes a routine, you can see her reaction about her routine. She knows when she’s done well and when she needs to improve to reach her standards. Her sense of self is off the charts in my opinion.

When working on a project, company or, in Biles’ case, a routine, you usually know what aspects need work and whats going well.

Being able to judge those aspects from a personal point of view might seem biased but that’s exactly how you are going to improve. Having your own high standards will allow yourself to push farther than you thought possible.

Getting feedback is still important. That’s why Biles has coaches to have an outside point of view. That being said, it’s also why her coaches know her material and the sport so well. They can offer valuable and trusted advice for Biles, and know how to keep her improving.

Biles trusts her coaches. She knows they will offer her feedback and criticism when needed. She also knows when they will praise her accomplishments. The trust that she has developed with them allows her to depend on her sense of self with more ease because she has that solid relationship.

Biles knows when she has finished a great routine. Just like she knows when to take a break, she knows when her praise has been rightly earned. Her sense of self guides her to where she needs to go for her career.

Simone Biles is… Fearless

I’ve talked about the Nassar scandal and it’s affects on Biles and others in U.S. Gymnastics. So let’s focus on some of the other things she’s done outside of the gym.

She’s written a book. She’s competed on Dancing with the Stars. She’s completing her college education on her own schedule.

Long story short: Biles attacks everything she sets her mind to completing.

In her gymnastics career, you don’t usually have to go far to see this trait. Just watch her complete a tumbling pass or even her triple double. She’s self assured that she can do it, stares it head-on and attacks the execution.

For me, this trait connects the most to those previously stated. To be fearless in business, you need to be dedicated, self assured, and commitment to overlook the obstacles you face with being tenacious and curious.

I also want to point out, being fearless does not mean she doesn’t exhibit fear.

She knows she has a possibility of failing, but that doesn’t mean she backs down from the challenge.

Biles has expressed her own interest in joining the corporate world at some point in her future. She’s shown us how capable she can be in the gym, and I have no doubt she’ll employ the same traits in a board room.

Simone Biles has provided the public many instances to see just how capable she can be on and off the mat. Let’s see how she can inspire other business-minded influencers to reach her level.

Do you see any other qualities that Simone Biles exhibits for the business world? Tell me more in the Comments!