Gift of Joy

Were you lucky enough to see the pure joy reflected on the faces of the US Women’s hockey team when they won gold at the Olympics? Or Shaun White’s reaction when he won gold on the Halfpipe? If you didn’t, go find the video. You don’t want to miss it. I guarantee it will make you smile.

The Olympic Games bring tremendous highs and tremendous lows. Are those emotional extremes part of the appeal for the millions of people tuning in to watch? Where else can you find almost 3,000 incredibly dedicated individuals all in one place, pursuing what is likely one of their biggest life goals? Many have given up literally years of their lives for the potential to win a medal and have a few minutes of fame. Of course some will enjoy the spotlight for much longer, but there are 102 events in 15 different sports, some of which I’ve never even heard of until this year. If they win, the eyes of the world will be upon them as they stand on the podium, but few will remember their names when the games conclude.

We were amazed by the magnificently talented women ice skaters as they competed their long programs on Thursday night. We felt their pain when they fell, sometimes more than once, and know they had to feel shattered inside. Despite the pressure and crushing disappointment, no one quit. Think about that for a minute. Every single one dug deep and finished her program. That takes a level of commitment and, let’s be honest, sheer guts that most of us could only dream of possessing. I admire the ones who give their all and come up short as much as the ones that take home a medal. They are all winners. Women’s figure skating is only one example. You will witness both the elation of winning and the devastation of defeat in each event.

My hope for the athletes is that every single one of them, regardless of how their competitions turned out, goes home with a sense of joy and wonder to have had the opportunity to represent their countries and thousands of athletes back home.

Most of us will never be any closer to the games than our televisions, at least I know I won’t be! So what can we take away from this experience?

• There is no guarantee of success, no matter what goal you pursue. Pursue it anyway.
• You have to give things up to focus on your passions. You are either all in or you’ve already decided to settle. You get to choose.
• Success is about so much more than whether or not you come out on top at the end of your journey. We hear it all the time but it never hurts to remind ourselves – success is found in the journey.

 So if you stumble and fall in the pursuit of what makes your soul sing, get up, brush yourself off, and keep going. Don’t quit. Don’t worry if you shed a few tears. What matters is you don’t quit.

Stay patient and trust your own  journey,    Kim