Rich Strike raced from last to first in less than three minutes. In this improbable victory lies important leadership lessons about our infinite potential, overcoming the odds stacked against us and believing that anything is possible.
As I watched the 2022 Kentucky Derby I was reminded that what seems impossible can become possible.
I can’t say I am a horse racing fan but I was visiting someone and it was on their TV so we sat and watched. I like sports. I like sports because things CAN be unpredictable. Things that shouldn’t happen (based on analytics) sometimes do happen.
Infinite Potential
The upsets, improbable victories and underdogs overcoming all odds remind me that we all have infinite potential and that all things are possible.
Maybe we can’t have everything we want by clicking our fingers but I do believe all the things we do want are accessible to us. It is for us to imagine and create. But we have the potential. It’s in us.
If you don’t know the story of the 2022 Kentucky Derby or if you like seeing the impossible become possible, check out this video. Even if you know the result, watching the race from the overhead view magnifies the unlikelihood and significance of this performance.
While I can’t speak for the Rich Strike and his mindset, clearly, the jockey riding Rich Strike, Sonny Leon, believed in himself and Rich Strike. At 80-1, perhaps Sonny was the only one that believed in Rich Strike.
One thing that is noteworthy to me is that this unlikely outcome was produced by a horse (ridden and guided by a human). Now, horses are smart, amazing animals but they don’t read motivational books, listen to TED talks or are inspired by other athletes. What nature can teach us is so interesting precisely because most of nature does not have the brain we have but still shows us so many important truths. In this case, one leadership lesson seems to be that last can become first in just over two minutes. Another leadership lesson is that jockey and horse figured out a way to win. No one had that vision for this team. Only they had this vision but that was enough to win it all.
What does this 80-1 performance say to you about leadership? What insights does it offer? How could you use it with your team or company? How does it change the way you see yourself or others?
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