There is something however about being able to gather as many nations, as a world, to watch some of the best athletes, we call them Olympians, compete to represent our country and the world. It's like taking part in an ancient tradition that began thousands of years ago! How cool is that?
So reading this book, Greater than Gold, I was excited about!
Olympians aren't mere athletes that were just blessed with talent. They were, don't get me wrong, but they worked day in and day out to train for this. That split second moment that jumping in the pool a hair of a second could cost you. No pressure, right? Most of us could not be athletes on this level.
Something I love in this story from David Boudia, an Olympian Diver for the United States, is that you see the struggles he faced. Even he was afraid of the 10 meter board that he had to jump from. How did he start practicing those dives? His mum gave him incentives with CDs and trinkets.
He talks about his struggles, how he lost faith both in himself and something greater (for him, God) after the Beijing Olympics where he had failure, heartbreak, and loss.
He goes through his sport; the in's, the outs, the hows, and the whys. If you didn't know much about the diving sport, you will soon learn by reading this.
He talks about fear being the absence of having faith- faith in something bigger. For him, that is God. For me, it would be something simply bigger- God, your higher self, whatever it is for you. I see that and I actually appreciate that. It make be a line I use more even with my kids when they feel they are afraid of trying something new.
He talks about, and candidly so, the struggles, the pride, the ego, the everything that went into not only the Olympics but also in how he lost himself to the sport. How he had to regain that back. The pivotal moment in which he knew he was destined to do better.
He goes through the heartbreak he experienced in Beijing. How he almost quit everything because of his lose of faith, his pride, and so much more. He talks about how he regained his faith enough to be able to come back and take the gold.
This real life experience is very cool in my opinion because sometimes we can be hard on ourselves to start. We think that we must be perfect to try. That if we can't look a certain way, act a certain way, and be the mythical and perfect version of what it means to be an Olympian, than you can't.
This story breaks that. Olympians are human and have human traits and struggles like everyone else. They are not mythical nor perfect- they are real. They can struggle with addiction, faith, whatever it may be. But they can get through it. Just like we can.
Be inspired- know that where you are now, is not where you are meant to be and you are growing...
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