Jim Kavanaugh, a former U.S. national team soccer player and co-founder of World Wide Technology, says the habits that helped him compete in elite sports also shaped his path in business. The Missouri-based technology company now generates $20 billion in annual revenue, according to the report.
Kavanaugh argued that success depends less on natural ability than on sustained effort, learning, and the willingness to keep going after setbacks. He said people who are willing to work hard and continue improving have a strong chance of succeeding, especially when they focus on work they genuinely enjoy.
Messi as an example of leadership
He also pointed to Lionel Messi as an example of leadership through action rather than words, saying the Argentine captain brings out the best in his teammates. Kavanaugh contrasted that approach with more vocal styles of leadership and said effective leadership can have a major positive impact in both sports and business.
Kavanaugh’s own background, he said, reinforced that view. The son of a Missouri bricklayer, he grew up without the financial means for college and relied on an athletic scholarship to attend Saint Louis University. After being cut multiple times during his youth career, he went on to represent the United States at the 1983 Pan American Games and the 1984 Summer Olympics before later co-founding World Wide Technology in 1990.
Source: fortune.com
