The past 2 weeks, I’ve been watching the Olympics (how can you miss them? That’s all that’s on!).
Every 2 years when the Olympics come on, I watch and always am in awe of the athletes who dedicated their whole lives to work up to a few seconds of perfect performance that results in winning an Olympic medal.
Think about it: how many things did you try growing up that you quit? Many of us were given opportunities to excel just as these Olympians have, but we give up. I know personally I gave up a lot. Or if I didn’t give up, I just didn’t try very hard. I never had that razor-sharp focus that is required to really become excellent in a sport or a hobby. I quit piano, choir, tennis and swimming.
- Piano: I couldn’t understand reading the notes. I couldn’t play fun tunes because I couldn’t learn the simple ones. My dad played by ear and it frustrated me I couldn’t just “get it.”
- Choir: I love singing, but choir was boring. I sang in elementary and middle school, then I think freshman year of high school was in the community youth choir, but that was it. Too bad I didn’t do choir in high school- I could have sang on stage with the Backstreet Boys- LOL.
- Tennis: I took tennis lessons when I was young, and liked playing tennis. But as I got fatter, it was hard. Hard to run, to get to the ball fast enough to set up the shot and hit it perfectly. I practiced in middle school with my dad and friend Angie, and in high school, I was on the tennis team jr. and sr. years. But I was no good. Too big. Couldn’t move well enough, and didn’t care to really put in the extra work it would have taken to get decent. I remember I had to order a special big tennis skirt. I would still like to play tennis one day again.
- Swimming: In elementary school I swam for the neighborhood team, then got accepted into the year round swim league. When we moved to Kentucky, I didn’t join another league. My sister then started to get much faster than I, and it made me mad. I got fatter, and she was this tiny stick thing. I swam in middle school for the neighborhood team, but never went back to year-round. Swam for high school team Freshman, Sophomore and Junior years, but was never very good. Too big. Although I do proud myself that my specialty stroke was the butterfly.
So as I sit and watch the Olympics, and hear the stories of the Olympians and their sacrifices they’ve made all their life, I wonder if it’s a genetic thing- this Superman-like drive and intensity that fuels their excellence.
Click to watch dry land training video of Apolo Ohno
Maybe it’s part of the parents sacrifice to support and push for their kids to do their absolute best. I can’t say I didn’t have this though, because my parents were both very supportive with everything my sister and I did. Still, this story was particularly touching. Can you imagine a better gift for a parent’s sacrifice than reaching the pinnacle of your sport… multiple times? Unreal.
Video of Apolo Ohno and his Dad
Or is it simply just a personality trait? This burning desire to be the best, no matter what sacrifices need to be made. One day I’d like to do a triathalon: something that takes regimented training, drive, and persistence to accomplish. That’s as close as I’ll get to my Olympic moment. For the meantime, however, I must simply figure out how to take the baby steps to get closer to that point.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Leave comments below!
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