by Alina Boie, M.S.
That special time again… the Olympic Games. Every four years sports lovers around the world gather together to celebrate life through sport. It is astonishing how much effort (and money) is invested in organizing this gigantic event. However, countries that host it take pride by creating a unique and unforgettable experience.
Watching the athletes compete and strive for a gold medal always makes me think about things like endurance, persistence, ambition and nevertheless hard work. We are the ones who sit on our couch and admire the final product: an excellent floor routine, an amazing swimming competition, or a thrilling boxing game. Yet, behind these things that amaze us are endless hours of practice, commitment, desire and an incommensurable effort to achieve excellence.
Being a professional athlete does not only mean working hard but also having excellent coping mechanisms for stress and emotional endurance. These are the people who defeated procrastination and awfulizing and have increased frustration tolerance. Saying something like “It is too hard to train eight hours a day” or, “I shouldn’t have to work this hard. Things should be easier” does not bring you an Olympic medal. Well, people might argue and say that this is what they chose and therefore they should not complain. This might be right, however there is so much more to learn from our athletes.
1. Believe in your dreams and goals. Remember you cannot reach the top of the mounting without walking its trails. By breaking big tasks into smaller parts, you can reach your target easier and prevent procrastination.
2. Be persistent even if you get discouraged at times. Persistence is the key of success.
3. Work hard and focus on your goals. See the reward that awaits you at the end of your journey. This will give you the motivation and desire to stay on task.
At times things can get complicated. However, this is what life is all about and there is no way around it. Expecting or demanding that life should be easy it is not realistic and healthy. However, acknowledging that we have the power of making things better and more manageable along with changing our irrational beliefs can be helpful. So think of your goals and view things through the eyes of an Olympic champion. You are strong, confident and work very hard to reach your objectives. There is no room for fear or whining because this is your time to shine.
