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Anyone who has found success as an athlete will tell you that sport teaches lessons that go far beyond the playing field. If you’re looking to succeed in the competitive business environment, there may be no better models than champion athletes. What is it that allows these individuals to achieve greatness? What makes someone a winner? There’s not a single answer. Rather, it’s a combination of things. We’re sharing five of them here. If you follow these lessons, you’ll be poised for a championship in the business world.

Related: 4 Productivity Tips from Extreme Athletes That Will Make Your Business Stronger

Show supreme confidence

Champions have a robust belief in themselves and their ability to succeed. Importantly, this does not mean they expect the journey to be easy. Most things worth having require tremendous effort. Champion athletes devote “blood, sweat and tears” in pursuit of excellence, and they’re willing to make the sacrifice because they know it will pay off. Self-doubters abandon the journey when it gets too hard or when they encounter a few obstacles. Champions persevere because they believe in themselves to the core. This stout self-confidence becomes self-fulfilling. When you fully believe you’ll win if you keep on grinding, you’ll out-grind your less confident competitors. Supreme confidence leads to supreme effort, and supreme effort leads to success.

Like a champion athlete, a winning entrepreneur stays committed when things are tough. Tomorrow’s industry leaders are those who will continue to refine their current pitches and marketing strategies as many times as it takes to reach a breakthrough. They will not be deterred by rejection but rather will learn from it, make adjustments, and come back stronger. This willingness to learn and improve, in fact, is another defining feature of champions.

Always look to improve

Champion athletes, while supremely confident, also possess enough humility to know they always have room to learn and grow. When they take a loss, they review the game film to identify the mistakes they’ve made and see where they need to adjust for the next time. Even when they win, they look at what they could have done better. They also seek input from others. When a coach points out a flaw in their technique, they’re receptive to the feedback and incorporate it into their training. They also look to teammates and even to opponents to learn what others are doing well.

As an entrepreneur, if you lose out on a deal or find a competitor holding a larger share of your targeted market, then look at what they are doing to succeed. Be open to learning and humble enough to seek help from others. Champions are usually their own harshest critics, and their high standards drive them to keep improving. So even when you have some successes, continue looking to level up.

Focus on what you can control

Champions do everything they can to control the variables involved in their sport. Knowing that they can’t fully control the outcome, they go all-in on what they can control, including attitude, effort, and preparation. Entrepreneurs ought to do the same by analyzing their markets, rehearsing presentations multiple times, and scouting both their competition and their potential customers. If you’re meeting with a client, study them ahead of time so you can anticipate the questions they may ask and have impressive answers prepared. Be obsessive about your preparation.

A corollary to this lesson is focusing your post-hoc explanations on what you can – or could have – controlled. After a tough loss, champions do not blame the referee. Instead, they look at what they could have done differently so the referee’s calls would not have mattered. As an entrepreneur, be cautious of attributing bad results to luck or of claiming things weren’t fair. When you do so, you lose motivation to make adjustments for next time. Instead, follow a champion’s lead and know there’s always something you could have done better.

Improvise when needed

Even as champions focus on what they can control, they also recognize that they can’t control everything. Rarely does something go exactly as planned, and the best performers adapt and improvise. Something can always go wrong, and rather than panicking when it does, winners stay confident and make the needed adjustments. Thus, even as you work to control what you can embrace the uncertainty of your sport – or your business, as the case may be.

Related: 5 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Pro Sports Teams

Be flexible

You may have noticed that the lessons described above hold some contradictions. Champions have supreme confidence yet also believe they need to get better. They also focus on what they can control while accepting they can’t control everything. Thus, another key to success is adapting your mindset based on the situation at hand. Champions have the mental flexibility to do so seamlessly. Rather than looking for a recipe to follow every time, they embrace the fluidity required to succeed consistently.

This willingness to adapt – to possess an unfixed mindset – is the main premise of the book Extreme Balance: Paradoxical Principles That Make You a Champion, published by Entrepreneur Press. This volume, which I have co-authored with champion athlete and coach Ben Askren and successful business leader Joe De Sena, describes how various champions balance contradictory principles to succeed in their respective sports. It includes chapters such as “Thinking You’re Good Enough and Thinking You’re Never Good Enough,” and “Preparing for Everything and Expecting the Unexpected.” These sections expand upon the lessons described here – and many others – in greater depth. If you want to be a champion entrepreneur, it’s a great resource to help get you there.

Bank of America customers reported issues accessing their accounts on Wednesday, from log-in problems to balances incorrectly listed at $0.

Bank of America has acknowledged in a statement that “some clients are experiencing an issue accessing their accounts” and the company is working on the problem.

“These issues are being addressed and have largely been resolved,” the statement read. “We apologize for any inconvenience.”

According to Downdetector, there were more than 12,000 queries around 1 p.m. EST. As of 5 p.m., more than 3,000 people were still reporting issues. Reports say the problem is widespread, with people reporting outages from Los Angeles to Nebraska.

Bank of America did not yet publicly say what caused the issue but told CNN that service was mostly back to normal.

Amazon doesn’t want its employees to talk to any other AI chatbot — except Cedric.

A Tuesday report from Business Insider revealed that Amazon has a new internal AI bot called Cedric that securely allows employees to get their questions answered and generate document summaries — without ChatGPT. Amazon drew the comparison in a leaked internal document, stating that Cedric is “safer than ChatGPT” and that the tool aims to boost productivity.

Amazon’s caution with third-party chatbots isn’t new. In a January 2023 document, an Amazon lawyer warned employees from sharing code or Amazon confidential information with ChatGPT and wrote that there had already been occurrences where ChatGPT’s output aligned with internal data.

Amazon joins companies like Accenture and Edelman in creating custom AI tools for employees.

Related: Amazon CEO Mandates Employees Work in the Office 5 Days Per Week Starting January: ‘Strengthening Our Culture Remains a Top Priority’

Amazon also plans to incorporate AI into other parts of its business. Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman told employees in August that in the next two years, “it’s possible that most developers are not coding” because AI will fill in the gaps.

He said that software engineers will be tasked more with innovation and thinking about customer needs than with coding.

In the second quarter of 2024, Amazon had over 1.5 million employees.

Related: Amazon Is Reportedly Tracking ‘Coffee Badging’ Workers and Their Real In-Office Hours

Around 10 a.m. Monday, Verizon users began reporting outages on social media and to Down Detector that they have no service except SOS mode. Verizon acknowledged the “issue impacting service” at 11:48 a.m.

We are aware of an issue impacting service for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and solve the issue.

— Verizon News (@VerizonNews) September 30, 2024

The issue has been ongoing since its peak this morning when it had more than 100,000 queries — Tom’s Guide reports the number is down to the 40,000 range.

Reuters reports that the FCC is investigating and “working to determine the cause and extent of these service disruptions.”

At 5:04 p.m., Verizon updated customers on X and said it was a “network issue” that has “started to be restored.”

“We continue to work around the clock to fully resolve this issue,” they added.

Verizon engineers are making progress on our network issue and service has started to be restored. We know how much people rely on Verizon and apologize for any inconvenience some of our customers experienced today. We continue to work around the clock to fully resolve this…

— Verizon News (@VerizonNews) September 30, 2024

Here’s what we know.

Where Is Verizon Down?

The massive Verizon outage appears to be across the U.S. with users from California to Ohio to Florida reporting issues.

Does Verizon Know About the Issue?

The company is aware of the issue, though it has not stated publicly what caused the outage. On its website and social media, Verizon said network engineers are working to identify and solve the problem.

Is AT&T Also Down?

Although users were also reporting issues with AT&T, the company said they are not experiencing outages, and it is just a residual effect.

We are not experiencing a nationwide outage. Our national network is operating normally. Down Detector is likely reflecting challenges our customers are having attempting to connect to users on another network.

— AT&T News (@ATTNEWS) September 30, 2024

What Is SOS Mode?

SOS mode occurs when your phone can’t connect to a network, though users still should be able to call 911.

Did you know that the lighting in your company and home office can affect your productivity as well as your mental health? It’s probably not surprising then that the typically harsh overhead lighting doesn’t do you any favors.

If you want to create a more productive or upbeat work vibe, whether you’re in the office or working from home, this sleek corner floor lamp can help. It arrives with more than 16 million lighting colors, multicolor lighting effects, and a handy remote control for only $59.97 (reg. $149). This offer is only valid until the end of the day.

The easiest upgrade for your office

This floor lamp fits comfortably in the corner of your company office space, living room, and home office, taking up little floor space thanks to its minimalist design. It also arrives in a sleek black metal construction that blends in with the rest of your office or home decor, while its weighted rubber bottom provides a buffer between your floor.

Since it comes with more than 16 million colors to choose from and 300+ multicolor effects, what color will you select for your workday?

It utilizes soft-whtie integrated LEDs for more ambient lighting, but you can choose blue if you’re dealing with numerous administrative tasks and need complete focus. If you’re a solopreneur trying to develop a new business strategy, select yellow to get your creative juices flowing. When you’re ready to change the vibe, the included remote control lets you conveniently shuffle between all options to find the proper lighting for your workday needs.

Improve your daily productivity with a quick change in your lights.

Add this minimalist corner floor lamp with 16+ million light colors to your office for just $59.97. You have until the end of today, September 29 at 11:59 PM Pacific, to scoop up this deal.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Are you like 62% of Americans who, according to HubSpot, say they check their email outside of working hours? We get it. Whether you’re at the bottom of the corporate ladder trying to climb up or the boss whose job never ends, it can be hard to separate work from your personal life—especially when they both live on your phone.

That’s why some business professionals are getting a second phone for work. Consider this credit-card-size smartphone as a reliable option. It’s way more compact than the new iPhones and far more affordable at only $99.97 (reg. $199.99) for a limited time. And it ships free.

Why get a second phone?

The NanoPhone will help you separate your work and personal lives. Your existing smartphone can be only for your messages, calls, and apps, while the NanoPhone can be a space to download everything you need for work—Gmail, Slack, authenticator apps, and more.

The phone runs on Android 10 OS, so you can download basically any app you need. It also has dual cameras for taking video calls on the go, should you need to do any business correspondence while traveling.

With two separate phones, the odds of refreshing your work email or checking Slack on your day off (or before you go to bed) are far lower. Simply tuck the NanoPhone into your briefcase or purse and try your hardest to forget about it.

Will I need another phone plan?

If you hope to use it independently from your existing phone, yes. You’ll have to purchase a SIM card and a mobile carrier plan.

However, some people use the NanoPhone with their phone’s current SIM card and data plan. This is an excellent option for emergencies, like if you damage your phone and need a backup.

Order your mini smartphone while they’re on sale for $99.97 with free shipping (reg. $199.99). No coupon is needed for this limited-time offer.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

You may now see AI-generated images of yourself on your Facebook or Instagram feeds as Meta tests new content.

Meta told Axios on Friday that users can opt out of a new “Imagined for You” test that creates AI content based on a user’s interests, even incorporating their likenesses. For example, users can imagine themselves in new settings, as royalty, or as an astronaut, and share the images that Meta AI creates of them with their network.

You “can be the star of your own story,” Meta stated.

The generated images seem to rely on photos uploaded by users, noted The Verge.

^{Credit: Meta}

Meta is also testing adding other AI images on newsfeeds that may not feature users’ faces but are still personalized to them. One example image Meta shared shows an enchanted realm with moonbeams.

Meta is experimenting with the changes across Facebook and Instagram. The new feature is in its testing stages and it’s unclear how many accounts it affects.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke about its AI efforts earlier this week at Connect, stating that Meta AI has 500 million monthly active users and is slated to become the most-used AI assistant by the end of the year.

^{Meta AI moonbeams. Credit: Meta}

Related: Mark Zuckerberg Revealed His Vision for Smart Glasses at Meta Connect — and It Involves Holograms: ‘Beginning of a Big Thing’

Kevin O’Leary once had a photography lab in his basement.

As a teenager, he did all he could to follow his dreams of becoming a photographer. There was one issue — his father didn’t approve.

“He said you’re not good enough and you’ll starve to death,” O’Leary said in a video posted to X. “He said you should go to college and get a degree and I went on to do an MBA which ended up being a very important tool for me later.”

Related: Kevin O’Leary Says This Is the One Skill He Looks For in a Leader — But It’s ‘Almost Impossible to Find’

O’Leary has previously explained why he thinks an MBA, which can cost $231,420 on average for a top 10 program in the U.S., was worth it.

In a 2021 Facebook post, he wrote that the degree gave him “a head start” and taught him “discipline,” turning him from a 20-something with poor study habits to someone who knew how to make money, defend his ideas, and focus on his strengths.

O’Leary graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1980, which now costs $83,250 per year for domestic students.

Photography still played a key role in his life: After graduating, the first company he started, Special Event Television, was a production company focused on sports entertainment.

Related: Kevin O’Leary Is Launching a New Agency With the Founder of Shazam

“It was my attempt to get back to the thing I loved, which was photography and production, and make money doing it,” O’Leary said in the X video. “There was that science and that art coming together in my life.”

When I first wanted to be a photographer, My dad told me I wasn’t good enough—I’d starve. So, I got an MBA and ended up building and selling a company for $4.2 billion. It all came together—business, creativity, and the drive to win. I wouldn’t change a thing. pic.twitter.com/Xv8ttJFk2V

— Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) September 17, 2024

O’Leary sold the company and then used the proceeds to start SoftKey, which sold education and entertainment software, in 1986. He and his two business partners sold SoftKey to Mattel in 1999 for $4.2 billion.

Looking back, he has no regrets.

“All of that stuff made me what I am today, the good, the bad, and the ugly,” O’Leary said in the video. “And I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Related: Kevin O’Leary Says ‘Right to Disconnect’ Laws Are ‘Crazy’

In August, Google entered a $2.7 billion agreement with AI chatbot startup Character.AI. The official reason? Getting a license to use Character’s technology.

The unofficial reason? According to a Wednesday Wall Street Journal report, the consensus within Google is that the tech giant primarily wanted to rehire a former employee who quit in 2021 after creating an AI chatbot that Google refused to take public.

The engineer, 48-year-old Noam Shazeer, was one of the first hundred employees at Google. He quickly established himself as an AI expert and wrote a paper in 2017 with seven other Google employees called “Attention is All You Need” which introduced a new deep learning architecture. That paper has been cited by other researchers more than 100,000 times and established him as one of the inventors of modern AI.

Related: Google Introduces Its New Project Astra AI Assistant at I/O Event — Here’s What Else You Missed

Shazeer claims credit for his contributions: His LinkedIn “About” section at the time of writing reads, “I have invented much of the current revolution in large language models.”

^{Noam Shazeer. Credit: Winni Wintermeyer for The Washington Post via Getty Images}

In 2021, before the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Shazeer was working on AI at Google. He and his colleagues created an AI chatbot that could interact with users conversationally, and they advocated for Google to demo it to the public. Google refused multiple times and Shazeer quit to start Character, building up the startup from 2021 to the present with over $150 million in funding at a valuation of $1 billion as of March.

Google’s August agreement with Character brought Shazeer back into the company as part of the DeepMind research team, which works on AI.

Shazeer made hundreds of millions of dollars as part of the deal, according to the WSJ.

Related: Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin Is Back at the Company ‘Pretty Much Every Day.’ Here’s What He’s Working On.

Other big tech companies have made similar agreements recently. In late August, Amazon signed a deal to non-exclusively license AI models developed by AI robotics startup Covariant and bring over Covariant’s co-founders and some employees.

Although 83% of U.S. adults said parents are the most responsible for teaching their children about money, 31% of American parents never speak to their kids about the topic, according to a survey from CNBC and Acorns.

Last week, the subject came up on Northwestern Mutual’s A Better Way to Money podcast, which featured social media star and owner of Stur Drinks Kat Stickler and Northwestern Mutual vice president and chief portfolio manager Matt Stucky.

“I love and respect my parents, but we didn’t really talk about money ever — I never saw them talk about money,” Stickler told Stucky during the conversation. “It was taboo. It wasn’t brought up once.”

Related: Members of Every Generation Have Side Hustles — But They Don’t Spend Their Earnings the Same Way. Here’s the Breakdown.

According to Stucky, parents can instill strong money management skills like any other good habit.

“It just takes a lot of repetition — things like saving, investing,” Stucky said. “I’m not going to teach my 4-year-old about investing, but just the idea of if I save a dollar, that means I can spend it down the road on something that I really want. That takes a while to sink in.”

Money might not have been a regular topic of discussion while Stickler was growing up, but the entrepreneur says her mother did show her the value of a dollar in other ways: repurposing old jeans into shorts or empty butter tubs into containers for school lunch.

In addition to talking to their kids about money, parents can lead by example when it comes to smart financial decisions.

“There are new risks that are now in the equation of being a parent,” Stucky said. “Things like, What if something happens to me; what if I can’t work anymore? How does that impact my child’s financial life?“

Navigating those uncertainties means planning for big-ticket items, according to Stucky. Stickler, who has a young daughter, said she’s already taken some key steps to secure her future: setting up a will complete with a month-by-month timeline and establishing funds for healthcare and school — and even one for clothes and toys.

Related: What Your Parents Never Taught You About Money

According to Stucky, parents should leverage today’s circumstances for tomorrow’s success.

Stucky recommends setting up a 529, to which you can contribute funds for education, and a Roth IRA for your child.

“[With a Roth IRA], you are able to contribute on their behalf up to the child’s earned income amount or the current contribution limits of $7,000, and the dollars come out tax-free after age 59 ½ or if they need to use it for a qualifying life event,” Stucky explains. “It’s a way to set up your children for their retirement, as well as support generational wealth.”

Parents might also consider a Uniform Transfer to Minors Account (UTMA), which has no limit on the amount that goes in and allows them to retain control until their kids reach 18-21, depending on where they live, Stucky says.

Related: Shark Tank’s ‘Mr. Wonderful’ on Teaching Kids About Money: ‘Put Their Noses In It, Like You’re Training a Puppy’

Finally, Stucky recommends the “often overlooked option” of permanent life insurance for your child.

“The policy will pay a death benefit someday so long as the required premiums are paid,” he explains. “In addition, policies accumulate cash value, which your child could access during their lifetime.”