Lessons in Resilience and Teamwork from an Olympian

Table of Contents

The Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina are just a year away, but the lessons they offer transcend the icy tracks of competition.

Devon Harris, a three-time Olympian and founding member of the legendary Jamaican Bobsled Team, brings these lessons to life with his powerful message of resilience, teamwork, and an unshakable Olympic mindset.

Devon’s journey from the streets of Kingston, Jamaica, to the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the Winter Olympics is nothing short of extraordinary. As a motivational keynote speaker, he has captivated audiences across five continents with his transformative message. His ability to connect Olympic-level training principles with real-world business challenges makes him a sought-after speaker for Fortune 500 companies and global organizations.

Key Lessons from the Video

In the video above, Devon shares insights that resonate with leaders and teams alike:

  • Resilience: Setbacks are not endings but stepping stones. Just as Olympic athletes turn failures into fuel for success, professionals can harness resilience to overcome challenges.
  • Teamwork: Success isn’t about individual effort alone. From bobsledding to curling, teamwork is essential for achieving shared goals—a principle every organization can embrace.
  • The Olympic Mindset: With focus, determination, and an unshakable resolve, any team can perform like champions.

Transform Your Team with Devon’s Message

Imagine applying these principles to your organization. Whether you’re leading a team or striving for personal growth, Devon’s message equips you with actionable strategies to ignite innovation and drive success. His signature keynote “Keep On Pushing” is more than a motivational speech—it’s a call to action that inspires lasting change.

Liked this? Stay in the lead with Insights

If you liked this, follow Devon Harris’ contributions and receive his latest insights and thought leadership directly in your inbox through our Insights email newsletters.

You can also follow all our Resilience content and receive exclusive content tailored to your professional interests.

Insights Content Signup Form
Accept Terms

Contributed by:

Devon Harris
International Motivational Keynote Speaker

Three-Time Olympian with the Original Jamaican Bobsled Team and Retired Jamaican Defence Force Captain; Leading Audiences to Visualize Success with an Olympic Mindset. You may not know his name or recognize his picture.  Yet his grit and fortitude helped inspire a movie you likely have viewed more than once.  The 1990s feel-good blockbuster Cool Runnings sugarcoats the real story behind the original Jamaican bobsleigh team.  It introduces four Caribbean islanders recruited to participate in the Winter Olympics.  They had not ridden on a bobsled nor even walked on snow, never mind experienced the breathtaking cold of a Canadian mountaintop.  The entire world watched, waiting to mock and ridicule them.  Instead, the world came to embrace their determination and resilience.  Now, nearly 30 years later, Devon Harris – the “Yul Brenner” character in the film – is a widely acclaimed international speaker and mindset-resilient coach.

Related articles