Life Lesson #8: Of The Olympic's Archery Teams

The first Olympic's match I watched was the archery competition. I had tuned in when the men's team semifinal match began.

I didn't manage to keep my eyes open till the very end, so I went off to bed after the United States had sent Japan out of the match.

p.s. The US team proceeded to beat Korea (oh no!!!) and met Italy in the finals. But Italy emerged the final winners with a one-point difference.)

This morning, I watched the women's team competition. This time though, they were at the 1/8 elimination round.

This time, the finals weren't held today. But I'll be wide awake for the finals (if I don't have school the next day).

Archery is a sport that involves loads of patience, skill, luck and a pair of incredibly steady hands. It requires optimum time control and the ability to overcome sudden wind currents.

Most of all, it requires teamwork.

Each team is given 2 minutes to shoot 6 arrows. Each person can use about 40 seconds to shoot both their arrows.

If a teammate takes too long to aim and shoot, the others are left with less than ample time to make an accurate aim. This case was sadly, very true for a few teams.

What happens when a teammate takes way too long to complete part of his/her project?

Instead of blasting off, complaining about it to other people or creating bad vibes within the group, maybe we should get into the Olympian spirit and look up to the archers.

They just smiled, gave each other a pat on the back, and got ready to make up for their teammate's unintentional error.

It takes a lot to be able to reach this mutual understanding. Teamwork and team spirit played an important role.

Till now, it is still hard for me to comprehend and try to take in my teammate's different attitudes, behaviours or principles.

Sometimes, I feel like yelling at them. At times, I have done so. But I ALWAYS regret my decision immediately after.

Yelling, scolding, firing up or complaining isn't going to get anything done. That's a lesson well learnt from my 17 short years of experience so far. Especially in a team.

Teamwork is the only key to any success in a group.

And that is what the Olympian archers have shown us time after time.