Gold Medals, no medals, triumphs, and disasters, the
Olympics are always full of entertainment and inspiration. Growing up, my mother was an Olympic junkie,
a gene that definitely transferred to me.
As the games begin to slide into their second half, I always feel a bit
depressed when they come to an end.
Why? Not only because my favorite
athletic event is no longer available, but also because I love watching the
athletes chase their dreams. I love
seeing the culmination of all their hard work put on stage for the world, and
if it doesn’t go the way they hoped, their determination to finish the race or
get back up again has always amazed me.
But my absolute favorite part about the games, is realizing that all of
those athletes were once beginners.
I’m going to go ahead and make the assumption that not one
of those athletes stepped onto the ice, slope, etc and was perfect right
away. Gracie Gold didn’t land her triple
lutz-triple toe on her first try, and I’m guessing Shaun White didn’t start
shredding the half-pipe right away either.
No, they had to start small and work hard for it. I once heard a quote that went along the
lines of, “Even if it a little step, make sure you take it.” As you watch the end of these Olympics and
feel yourself become inspired and motivated, take a hint from the athletes you
are watching. You can become great and conquer your dreams, but you’re going to have
to start with baby steps. Maybe that’s
signing up for voice lessons, or going to that club meeting you’ve always been
too afraid to join. Yes, pushing
yourself out of your comfort zone is scary, but that vulnerability is what
leads to greatness. And as you pursue
your dreams, do not be discouraged by failure.
Nothing is ever perfect on the first try. Stand back up, try again, and let your
failure motivate you to be better the next time. Whatever you do, don’t let yourself get stuck
on that first step.
Whether its fear, insecurity, or maybe just lack of time, be
strong enough to put all those worries aside.
Because no one ever conquered their dreams with their everyday routine,
and no one was ever “great” on their first attempt. You have the ability to own the world stage
like an Olympian, you just have to find the courage to believe in yourself and
do it.
***Article used for correct ice-skating terms - http://www.boston2014.com/featured-skater-gracie-gold/
***This article was also printed in The Odyssey - the Greek newspaper. If you want to read more articles by myself and other Odyssey writers, head on over to http://theodysseyonline.com/