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Peter Vidmar is the highest scoring American gymnast in Olympic history. The winner of numerous national and international titles, Peter finished his successful career at the 1984 Olympic Games. As the USA men's gymnastics team captain, he led his teammates to America's first team gold medal with their stunning upset victory over the defending world champions, the People's Republic of China. He went on to win the silver medal in the individual all-around competition (the first American to have won an Olympic All-Around medal), and with a perfect score of 10, he captured the gold medal on the pommel horse.

Peter continues to contribute to the Olympic movement today. He serves as the Co-Chairman of the US Olympic Committee Summer Sports Summit, an annual series of workshops designed to prepare America's medal hopefuls to win Gold in future Olympics. Peter has worked for many years as the gymnastics commentator for CBS Sports and ESPN and continues to work as a journalist or broadcaster at each summer Olympics. Peter has served on the President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, the Executive Board of the United States Olympic Committee, and he is now the Chair of USA Gymnastics.

Peter is now a powerful and entertaining speaker at corporate meetings and trade shows. With 2 decades of experience helping people throughout the country to realize their own potential, Peter does much more than just speak about his experiences. In his inspiring, humorous, and entertaining presentations, he also performs portions of his Olympic routine on the pommel horse to drive home his message. He demonstrates the three components of a perfect score in gymnastics - Risk, Originality and Virtuosity (ROV) - and discusses how they apply to success in business and in life. His message brings something unique and refreshing to the corporate arena.

Program Topics:
ROV...RISK, ORIGINALITY, & VIRTUOSITY ... The Keys to a Perfect 10 (Motivation)

RISK: Do Something Different

Sometimes we're afraid to risk. Risk has an element of fear, because it means taking a chance that might not pay off. It involves the unknown, and we tend to fear the unknown. By avoiding risk, we don't set ourselves apart. And if we don't take risks, someone else will. Then they'll move ahead to seize opportunities that could have been ours. Peter has said that "You can always play it safe, but there is always someone else out there who is willing to take chances, and in the long run he's going to end up on top." In order to risk, we have to overcome fear and realize that the worst that can happen is not failure, but a temporary setback. We can all learn from setbacks. So in reality, by risking, we either succeed or learn, or both. Risk allows us to move ahead and grow, rather than remaining stuck in the same place, satisfied with the status quo. And of course, the principle of Risk must be applied together with Originality, and Virtuosity.

ORIGINALITY: Be different
We tend to copy what other people are doing. It seems safe. Someone succeeds while doing something a certain way and we imitate them in hopes of the same success. It's true, we can learn from others. But if we do no more than follow, we're always playing catch up. Someone else will always lead the way. If we strive for originality, and not worry about the next guy, we get to the point where "you are the standard, and everyone is watching you." True success comes with an original idea or an original way of doing something common. Often new skills or methods are learned by accident, usually when we're taking risks. This is how Risk and Originality can work together. And Virtuosity is the final part of the equation.

VIRTUOSITY: Perform an ordinary skill in an extraordinary way
Virtuosity means becoming very skilled or proficient at a certain task. The only way to become skilled is to work hard and smart. While we cannot control the amount of natural ability we have, we can control the amount of effort we put forth. As Peter states, "When we place a high enough value on something, we'll get the job done." In order to apply the principle of virtuosity, we must always remember the final goal. And that final goal must be of great worth. By constantly keeping the Olympic Gold Medal in mind, Peter placed a great value on every workout. There were rewards for his extra efforts. Virtuosity involves taking a common skill and working hard to perform the task better. Add your own flair. Let your own personality and unique qualities shine through. Risk using your own Originality to develop Virtuosity.

GETTING YOUR TEAM ON THE PODIUM (Teamwork)
Gymnastics is a team sport where the outcome is based entirely on a collection of individual performances. "At the Olympic Games, while I am competing with my teammates, I am simultaneously competing against them for the individual medals. So how do we work together on a daily basis for the benefit of the team?" Using his ROV principles, Peter describes the tools his team needed to apply, every day, to reach the top of the Olympic Podium, as a team and as individuals.

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE (Innovation)
One of the reasons gymnastics is the most watched event of the Olympic Games is that the viewer can always expect something new and different from the athletes. Gymnasts are masters at pushing the envelope, as they constantly try to reinvent their athletic art form. Innovation also requires some risk, and Peter discusses and shows how the judging category of ROV: Risk, Originality, and Virtuosity, has become a mandate for constant change in his sport. In describing how we need to stop playing catch up with the competition, Peter says, "A perfect 10 just a few years ago may only score an 8.5 today. If I don't innovate, I'll be left behind very quickly!"

Peter in the News

 

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