“What ‘seeds’ are you planting today? What will be the legacy of your team in 80 years?”
“Why are my dreams for you bigger than your dreams for you?” This question — or, rather, challenge — was one we heard often from our founder, Dr. Pearse Lyons. He taught us that setting “big audacious goals” is vital for success in life, in business, and in sports, as cyclist Tadej Pogačar has demonstrated this season. At the Tour de France this week, we witnessed history in the making as the 25-year-old Slovenian rider won his third Tour de France. He dominated the final stage of the historic race, continuing to push even when the yellow jersey was all but guaranteed. While Eddy Merckx’s 1972 season has long been considered the pinnacle of cycling, Pogačar is proving to be a unique talent that is elevating the sport. Pogačar, who races for UAE Team Emirates, won the Tour de France in his debut appearance in 2020 and again in 2021. He placed second in 2022 and 2023, just behind another generational talent, Jonas Vingegaard, who made a remarkable comeback for this year’s race after a serious accident 12 weeks ago. Their rivalry is considered one of the greatest duels in cycling history. I remember watching the Tour many times when I was staying in France; it was on every screen in every cafe or restaurant. Over the past few years, the battle between two riders has lifted the Tour back to levels that were only seen in decades past, and the Netflix series “Unchained” has brought the race even more excitement and fans. This year was a mega-showdown, with the winners of the past four Tours going head-to-head for the tie breaker. Ultimately, Pogačar was victorious. His accomplishments are quite impressive: • He won six stages and the General Classification at both the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France in a single season. • He achieved the most stage wins (17) at the Tour before the age of 26. • He was the youngest rider to win three Tours. So, what is driving this young cyclist to the top of the pack? He has a big audacious goal. Earlier this year, he was asked if he thought about his place in sports history. His response: “Yeah. Now I have arrived at this point where I really strive to be the best ever.” (https://lnkd.in/gEa5zMHJ) Like Pogačar, Dr. Lyons was a limitless thinker, and he wanted us to share that same spirit. His generosity was measured far beyond monetary value, through his time, energy and ideas, so there would not be just one Dr. Lyons, but thousands of Dr. Lyonses “making a dent in the universe.” As we look ahead to celebrating his 80th birthday during our annual Make a Difference Day, we reflect on his tremendous legacy, which continues to be a part of our daily conversations. Dr. Lyons was devoted to “planting trees he would never see grow” — that is, he took action in the present to build a brighter future, even knowing he might never see the idea come to fruition. What “seeds” are you planting today? What will be the legacy of your team in 80 years?