Although the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics didn’t go well for Türkiye, both Türkiye and the world witnessed a new iconic moment. Competing in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team category for Türkiye, Yusuf Dikeç won a silver medal alongside Şevval İlayda Tarhan. What caught the world’s attention was not just the medal but how Dikeç performed without any equipment, with his hands in his pockets while shooting, displaying a remarkable level of composure.
Across the globe, famous athletes, successful entrepreneurs, and actors like Armand Duplantis, Nina Kennedy, Roje Stona, Elon Musk, and Tom Hardy either used Dikeç’s iconic pose in their celebrations or congratulated him on his achievement.
As the world changes rapidly and we move from focusing on long-lasting memories to quickly consuming short videos, not every iconic moment will remain in our memories for years to come. Sometimes, an iconic moment may only last as the memory of the month or, at best, the year.
However, in Yusuf Dikeç’s story and success, there are signs that can guide us, and all professionals in the Intellectual Property sector, if interpreted correctly.
1. “Success doesn’t come with your hands in your pockets.”
“Success doesn’t come with your hands in your pockets,” is Dikeç’s philosophy as highlighted on the official Olympics website. It’s quite ironic, especially considering that his famous shots were made with his hands in his pockets.
In the new world, both in Intellectual Property and the corporate ecosystem, many changes have occurred. One of the recent trends is the success stories of young millionaires on social media, despite their young age. While these success stories deserve admiration, they shouldn’t be reduced to just the videos we watch. Beyond these videos, there’s hard work, effort, and great ideas that attract demand. Therefore, we must accept that a world where everyone is successful is, unfortunately, just a utopia. Some will fail and continue watching success stories.
There are many factors that can define success in the field of Intellectual Property. This is entirely related to the firm’s policies and what the firm is satisfied with. Some firms will continue to grow, some will stay where they are, and others will choose to remain boutique. However, there is one common criterion in all these choices: “Success will never come with your hands in your pockets.” Therefore, the priority will always be to make the client comfortable so that you can be comfortable.
2. Innovation and creativity are not behind closed doors but in the heart of life.
In an interview, Yusuf Dikeç mentioned that two to three days before the Olympics, the trigger of his gun broke. He realized that if he reported this to the gun manufacturer, the shipping time would take almost a week, which would risk him going to the Olympics without a gun. Instead, he turned to a friend who is a metalworker, and after a night without sleep, his friend repaired the gun that would win the silver medal.
Every invention is essentially focused on solving a problem, making life easier, and improving the existing state. Therefore, creativity comes from the streets. As the Turkish poet Yılmaz Erdoğan said, “Those who sell both real and artificial flowers are not gardeners but merchants.” On the other hand, inventions are the result of longing for fresh flowers and are pure. Dikeç’s solution can also be a beautiful example of thinking beyond limits.
3. The world may want to see you alone at the top, but success is a team effort.
In a broadcast he attended, Yusuf Dikeç stated, “It’s very difficult to win a medal in this sport without a team. I was about to quit the sport due to the eye problem I was experiencing. In the end, we worked with doctors for a long period to find the right glasses, and thanks to these glasses, I won the medal.” It should also be remembered that he won this medal together with İlayda, his teammate.
Even if the world pushes you towards individualism, taking pride in this and receiving all the praise can leave you truly alone and without clients in your profession in the future. A person’s capacity is limited, and you are only as good as your team. In Intellectual Property, it’s impossible to be successful without using technological tools for client management and without nurturing a team. Therefore, instead of just telling your team they are valuable, being part of the success with them and making them feel valued is the most important way.
4. Losing patience is losing the war. – (Mahatma Gandhi)
Although Yusuf Dikeç won a medal at the 2024 Olympics, this was actually his fifth Olympics. He explained this situation as follows: “There’s no giving up, no quitting, no abandoning. First, you need to believe that you can do it. I believed I could do it back then (in 2008).” Dikeç is now 51 years old and has continued to move towards his goal with determination and patience, without ever giving up.
In business life, and especially in Intellectual Property, which is my profession and where I can comment more comfortably, patience is one of the most important issues I have believed in for years. This is not merely about sublime perseverance but entirely about “waiting for the right time, looking at oneself from a distance, knowing oneself, and acting at the right time.” A professional who knows themselves also knows their clients well. A professional who listens to themselves also listens to their clients. Therefore, it should never be forgotten that it is never too late for anything. Time is a very valuable asset, but the right time is unique to the individual.
Listening also requires great patience. You have likely encountered people in your life who have a lot to say to you. People who want to sell you something quickly (because they’ve been told to move quickly to the next client after making a sale to you), who don’t really listen to you even in short conversations, and who are already thinking about what to say next before you finish your sentence, can reverse the natural flow of life and be exhausting.
In the field of Intellectual Property, when most clients are asked why they are satisfied with a consultant or lawyer, the majority of responses will be, “They listen to us, identify our problems, and solve them.” While being able to solve problems is related to that professional’s skills and knowledge, understanding the problem and listening is entirely related to patience. This is precisely why Dikeç’s struggle with patience, believing in himself, and continuing his efforts while waiting for the right time should be an inspiration to everyone.
5. Sometimes leaving a mark is winning.
Most people probably won’t remember the name of the athlete who won the gold medal in the event where Dikeç won the silver. The Serbian shooter Damir Mikec, who is also a friend of Dikeç, praised him by saying, “Did I win the gold medal, or did you? In my country, you’re the number one.”
We need to constantly remind ourselves that business life is a marathon, and finishing it is very important. A world where everyone always wins would not be a bearable one. When we see that certain awards in Intellectual Property are only won by certain firms, we must remember that it’s just an award and that what benefits clients is not the award but the service. Clients are interested in the success you achieve with their cases, and as the number of these successes increases, your value as an IP professional naturally increases.
Like Dikeç, you can succeed by being patient, believing in yourself, and without comparing yourself to competitors with the latest equipment. Just be sure of what target you’re hitting, and make sure your hands are not in your pockets.
Kerem Gökmen
