"My mother used to tell us in the mornings, 'Carl, put on your shoes; Oscar, you put on your prosthetic legs' ... So I grew up not really thinking I had a disability. I grew up thinking I had different shoes." -- South African runner Oscar Pistorius, nicknamed "Blade Runner" because he races on carbon fiber prosthetic blades.
Watching the amazing Olympic athletes competing in their chosen sports this past week, I am struck by what it takes to achieve greatness at this level. What is it that inspires someone to have such a clear vision, concentrate on that vision with a laser-like focus, overcome Olympic-sized obstacles and be willing to make the sacrifices required to fulfill their dreams?
Becoming an Olympic champion is a team sport. Even for those competing as individuals, it really does take a village. Just to make it to the Olympic games, the athletes and their loved ones have devoted years to the pursuit of a single dream. Many of these young people left their homes and families to go live with coaches or be near facilities where they could train with the kind of intensity required of a champion. Families often put their own dreams on the back burner in order to support the athlete.
We'll never know completely what it took from all who supported the dreams of the Olympians to make it to the top. Court reports reveal that Natalie Hawkins, the mother of U.S. gymnastics gold medal winner Gabby Douglas filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy earlier this year, and the parents of fellow U.S. Olympian Ryan Lochte were facing foreclosure in Florida. In the face of what looked like defeat, these parents kept on going.
Today, as Olympic champions, Gabby and Ryan and many of their fellow Olympians stand to earn millions of dollars from endorsement deals. Gabby is already slated to appear on the Corn Flakes box. But their road to success rarely followed a straight line. As their stories become public, we'll soon learn about the obstacles these champions and their families had to overcome just to make it on the Olympic team.
To the athlete, being on the team is just the beginning. It's winning that counts. But let us not overlook the fact that there is the dark side of winning. It's not all roses and medals to be sure. In the games called Olympics or the game called "Life" there will always be those for whom the price of winning is too high. There will be those who sacrificed too much of what turned out to matter the most: their families, their health, their peace of mind, and sometimes even their integrity.
And for those who do finally make it to the podium, we can't help but feel great pride along with them, regardless of their nationality, for these champions represent what's possible when one brings an Olympic level of inspiration, passion, focus and dedication to one's life.
They remind us of the courage it takes for anyone to conquer their own mountains and make it through the valleys and never give up. And when they cry tears of joy, we cry right along with them, for their joy is our own, played out in front of the world. We cry because something in the human spirit is cracked open and lifted up, and for that brief moment, we're right there on the podium with them. There is something exquisite and beautiful about witnessing this kind of human triumph.
And when they fail to make it, our hearts break along with theirs. We too feel the pain of their disappointment, for we know how many times we have fallen short of our own dreams, perhaps even giving them up in the face of failure. There is something touching and poignant about witnessing defeat in our own backyard or on the world stage. We ache for those whose efforts have fallen short even as we ache for that part of ourselves.
Sometimes life requires that we lose a round or two in the game, like Natalie Hawkins or the Lochtes, just to make sure we're committed. Just to keep us humble or to get us back on track. Just to carve out character, deliver a lesson, force us to become creative, or see if we really mean it. Just to see if we're in it for the right reasons. Just to see if our heart is pure.
What does it take to be a champion?
The truth is, each of us is called to become a champion in our own lives. We're called to become the very best version of ourselves we can possibly be and to live our best life. Our "job," as humans, is to do the work we came to the planet to do, to discover and develop our gifts and then share those gifts with the world.
Our call might not lead to the pinnacle in the world of sports. We might not be awarded a medal or have our picture on the cover of magazines or cereal boxes. We might never become rich or famous. The "world" we occupy might only be our personal world. It doesn't matter.
We each are called to take up our lives and live them with the degree of commitment and dedication on display at these Olympic games. We're called to live with the passion of a champion, to be inspired and to inspire others. We're called to give ourselves to our highest good, live up to our highest ideals, and hold nothing back. What could be possible if we did?
And every four years, when the Olympic games come back around, and we're called to witness the arrival of the torch that traveled through every continent of the world to light the Olympic flame, we're reminded once again that the true spirit of the Olympics is not extinguished when the flame goes out at the closing ceremony. The flame of the champion lives on within each and every one of us as we go about our daily lives, facing them with courage and with boldness.
The truth is, you already are a champion. Now, go live like one. Put on your uniform and take your place on the field. Live your life full out, with all the passion and dedication you can muster. Let your heart burst with courage, and have faith in yourself. Know that whatever you commit yourself to 100 percent, the game is already won.
What is required for you to be a champion in the biggest game of all, the one called "Your Life"? What is required for you to live a bigger, bolder, more creative and passionate life?
I'd love to hear about the heart of the champion in you. What are your triumphs? What have been your defeats? What defeats later turned out to be chapters in the larger story of your triumphs? Do leave a comment here and/or come pay a visit to my personal blog and website at Rx For The Soul.
And while you're at it, Become A Fan and be notified when new posts appear, as sometimes they aren't always posted on the page. For personal contact, reach me at judith@judithrich.com.
Blessings on the path.
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Aloysius Boyle: Acceptance Is As Good As Gold
Russell Bishop: Soul-Talk: How to Avoid Any More Secret Hurts
| 1 | United States | 46 | 29 | 29 |
| 2 | China | 38 | 27 | 23 |
| 3 | Russia | 24 | 26 | 32 |
| 4 | Great Britain | 29 | 17 | 19 |
| 5 | Germany | 11 | 19 | 14 |
| 6 | Japan | 7 | 14 | 17 |
" I'm late, I'm late, I'm late for a ..." :) Computer was in the shop. Actually was rather a nice, quiet, time.
Inspirational article Judith. Thanks. Much food for thought. Off the top, it takes character, stamina, commitment, perseverance, pride, the will to excel, encouragement. On the other hand, don't believe one has to be #1 to be champion. As you mention it takes integrity and a pure heart and some of the gold medalists in the past became champions with the help of steroids.
I find this a touchy subject in the sense that in our culture today there is much emphasis on competition, rivalry, and comparison. I feel saddened when I read "So and so....... is the number one spiritual leader." Then I have to ask myself if I am envious and either I am deluding myself or something just doesn't fit because I am not jealous. It just doesn't 'sit' well in my gut.
In the 'game' of Life I have had my share of so called wins and losses and I think what matters is the spirit in which something is done more than the achievement.
Blessings to you and to all.....
I couldn't agree with you more on your thoughts about becoming a champion. It isn't about who wins and who loses. The champion is the one who takes up the "race", whatever the race may be, and uses it as a vehicle for good. We can loosely define race here. It needn't be the athletic variety. It can be the road to self acceptance, the path to peace, the journey to compassion.
In this sense, we are all champions of life and our "job" is to champion others to become champions who champion others. And so it goes.
I'm taking this week off from my regular spot. No new blog post this week. But I'm glad to see you here, Pat, and hopefully, some of our fellow dwellers here at the well will stop by and say hello.
Love to you,
Judith
Much appreciation .....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/09/oscar-pistorius-appeal-relay-south-africa_n_1759546.html
When Manteo Mitchell, the leadoff runner for the American relay team in the 4x400 meter race actually finished his last 200 meters with a broken leg!!!
A loss for him because he will not be able to race and will not receive the recognition (or a metal) due.
A win for the team because they qualified for the final!
A win for him, not for what he did as much as who he is to do it!
Ultimately, the win for him may mean more in time...
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/09/sport/olympics-runner-broken-leg/index.html
Yes, that's the spirit! But it can also lead to borderline nonsense. As with the weight lifter who dropped ca. 200 kg on his neck and then commented that "it hurt a little", meaning in full: it hurt a little that he couldn't complete the competition and had to give up on that day.
For him it was bold to leave the stage, not to have the show go on.
I was on a plane yesterday, and I read this from Kenny Moore in the latest Runners’ World. Kenny ran the Olympic marathon twice, the second time in Munich, two days after the terrorist attack that killed 11 Israeli athletes:
“In Mexico and here the Village had been a refuge, admittedly imperfect, from a larger, seedier world in which individuals and governments refused to adhere to any humane code. For two weeks every four years we direct our kind of fanaticism into the essentially absurd activities of running and swimming and being beautiful on a balance beam. Yet even in the rage of competition we keep from hurting each other, and thereby demonstrate the meaning of civilization. I shook and cried as that illusion, the strongest of my life, was shattered.”
When we are doing something that we’re passionate about, we are doing the only active thing that makes the world really “work”. A world of people who are reading because that’s what they love to do, or running, or riding a bicycle, or playing ping-pong, or going to movies, making music, making quilts or making love – that’s a world worthy of the human spirit.
Steve and I ran a race in San Francisco two weeks ago – he did very well, I didn’t do very well. But we both tried as hard as we could, and for a couple of hours the whole world made sense.
Beautiful quote from Kenny Moore! I've often thought about that aspect of the games as well. Recall during the Cold War, when we considered the Soviet Union and its allies to be our mortal enemies, how we boycotted each others' games, or how the judging was often considered to favor one bloc over the other, or how sometimes athletes would defect to the West during the games. I wondered then how it was that we could agree to set aside ideological differences, even for a moment, and let it all play out on a track or a gymnasium. If we could do that, what was keeping us from laying down arms completely and allowing the human spirit to express itself in more humane ways?
Your observation, " A world of people who are reading because that’s what they love to do, or running, or riding a bicycle, or playing ping-pong, or going to movies, making music, making quilts or making love – that’s a world worthy of the human spirit. " THAT's the world we want to pass on to future generations!
Congrats on your race, regardless of the outcome. The truth is, you were also building memories. What a fine young man that son of yours is! How did the college launch go?
Sending love to all the Shaws,
Judith
"If there is one place where war doesn't belong, it's here. From 776BC until 393AD, Olympians laid down their arms to take part in the games. They knew there was more honor in outrunning a man than in killing him. So you must not believe that running, or jumping, or throwing are meaningless. They were your fellow Olympians' answer to war. They must be yours."
And I think we can expand that. When people are doing anything they love with passion, their hearts and souls are at peace. A world of people pursing their passions in sport, or art, or relationships are unlikely warriors, unlikely terrorists, unlikely mass murderers. A world of embittered people who have abandoned passion are much more likely to be dangerous to others, and to themselves.
And thanks for asking about Steve-o; one more week and he's off to start a new life, and off to make a better world than the one we're leaving him. May his tribe increase.
From my own racing activities, I've learned that I can't win all the time. I can prepare as best I can, and I can use all the skills I have, but sometimes, I'll fall short. But I'll have learned something. I've followed other cars around road courses for lap after lap, and I learn the line they use, and when the time is right, I can take that line away, and pass. I've had other drivers do the same thing to me. They've learned the same way I've learned. Success from failure.
Sometimes it takes all the strength we can muster just to get out of bed. Some days, the weight of the world holds us down. But as humans, we have to rise up and overcome. At the risk of sounding arrogant, I refuse to let anything keep me from giving my best effort to face the day and the challenges offered.
Thank you Dr. Judith and all who visit here. You all inspire me. The thoughts and words you share here, inspire me to continue to higher levels in life.
Paul
A wonderful perspective! So much wisdom here, born from the grit of turning a loss into a win. It's true, we might not always "win", as in crossing the finish line first, but you point out so poignantly that winning isn't ways about coming in first. Winning can be finishing the "race" at all, whatever that "race" may be.
Winning can be making it onto the "field', be it getting out of bed, or facing that difficult person, or trusting in one's self, or looking into the mirror and accepting that person looking back.
We have such a twisted perception of what constitutes winning in this country. I think of Oscar Pistorius, the "Blade Runner". Even though he didn't "win" his race, he emerged the biggest winner of all of these games, in my estimation. He demonstrated what the games and what winning are really all about. It begins and ends in the heart and along the way, the real win is experienced by all who witness the journey and are inspired to take up their own.
Many blessings your way this day. Thanks so much for being here.
Judith
I was late for this article as my computer was in the shop; however, all is back to 'normal' whatever normal may be :)
Just wanted to say " hello" and to thank you for this inspiring post. Love your attitude !
Be well....
Looking back over the years, I'm so grateful for what I've gained from racing. Of course, the competitive side is one thing, but the people I've met are incredible. So many of them are "larger than life" types. So many people that I've admired for so long. Of course the cost can be a bit much sometimes. I always said that the best way to make a little money at racing, was to start with a lot. But I can never put a price on the lessons I've learned and fun I've had.
Thanks for your kind words, but I can't imagine being any sort of inspiration at all. I'm just a regular person, no special talents or abilities. The real inspirations are people like Dr. Judith mentioned, those who overcome disabilities and adversity. I just keep on keepin' on.
My best to you and yours, and welcome back. Take care, and "see" you soon.
Paul
The small "city" where I reside is extremely friendly and community oriented and possibly would be considered years behind the times.. that is what I love about it along with the large lake and nature trails. So, I am outdoors a great deal. There is always some sort of event in the planning or in the happening. We are having a big BBQ soon. We just had a music fest. The country music fest is also coming soon... many bazaars .. walkathons, bike-a-thons.. to raise money for different causes. Tomorrow ...picking up bags of donated clothes and household goods for the kidney foundation.
All this to say am not a techy :) but do admire those who are so efficient with technology.
Yes, I would imagine that racing does take quite a lot of money. Those cars can be extremely expensive. The people you meet along the 'journey' are really what helps to make it all so fascinating. Happy for you.
Dear Paul, if you could 'see' yourself through my eyes you would 'see' how truly amazing you are.
Very best wishes to you and yours...
LEO
ruled by the lion and running alone, outrunning even
yourself, the only
person you still know. i carry you inside me, inside
the place where you carry me inside
you. i’m what’s left after despair blowing the fleece
of sheep into snow. i’m what remains
after rivals who could not keep up,
slouching and falling and crumbling weak as
gingerbread men crawling out of milk. it is all about
distance and the perfect journey of
a bullet to the heart, the circumpolar voyage that
takes us around the frozen god. now they are staring
at the distance you’re running into, the vanishing point,
a world in which
there just never was enough love to go around. it must
feel like emptiness, i’m sure,
roaming free on the far front,
becoming the light at the end of the tunnel.
--fxa
Nice my friend... I particularly liked the imagery of milk soaked gingerbread guys!
Lawson
I've flunked out in the arena of relationships, of friendships & love. I let down an abused puppy I rescued & rehabilitated when traveling in Africa five years ago when it turned out to be inconvenient to bring her back to Canada with me. But at least I left her in good hands.
Most dreams were born to die, I think. Most of mine have. What I've found however is that it's the ones, grandiose or not, that feel natural, that resonate with our souls, that continue to oscillate through our beings, calling out again & again to be heard, to be realized, despite difficulties that may come from bringing them to fruition. The things I've failed at I've realized teach me strength to try again or strength to let go, let go, let go.
Me thinks you are a bit hard on yourself, my friend. Well, a lot actually. In spite of all the losses, which can only be considered failures if you failed to learn anything from them, I STILL hear the champion in you, reaching out, wanting to be heard. I just do. Maybe you've given up on that part of yourself.
Leaving that puppy in good hands was your gift to her and your sacred duty. You didn't abandon her. You left her in good hands. I wouldn't consider that abandoning. Where does the "let down" come in, other than in yourself?
Sorry, I don't think dreams were born to die. They come to inspire us. They come to speak of our soul's agenda. They come to light the way. It is we who abandon our dreams.
OK, so these are the defeats. Now, my friend, let's hear about your triumphs. You're still here. There are triumphs to be acknowledged and celebrated.
Sending love and blessings your way,
Judith
The Doctor knows best - you’re being hard on yourself! But, I don't think it’s odd to seek, through hindsight and self-recrimination, some degree of external support or justification. You don't need that to live well. Ask yourself what it is you want most now, rather than then.
I wonder how much you feel regret for leaving the puppy regardless of the 'good hands' in which it remains. I bet you miss the puppy, or at least the idea of the puppy and you together.
I love cats and have a few. But, a few days ago, a mother cat and three adolescent offspring appeared: thin, hungry and somewhat friendly. I fed and played with them to accustom them to humans (done this before). The plan was to catch and neuter all four; take Mom to a no-kill place; take the two friendly kittens to a local adoption facility; and keep the shy kitten, which was not as adoptable. But, alas, in the morning they were gone and have not returned. I am upset over it, although I know there was little more I could have done, but nonetheless upset… Like you, I feel as if I somehow failed them.
I believe my emotions are born from the perceived lost potentials, and wonder if yours are too. I’ll get over it and live in the now; I hope you can to the same!
Working through it!
Lawson
I hadn't intended quite honestly to create such a dour picture of my life but simply to illustrate the possibility that the dreams that come true for us and those that don't may have something to do with what we gravitate toward more naturally. I was always athletic, for instance, loved to run, couldn't stop moving as a kid, but the truth is I never felt that sports was where my true north was. Sometimes I've wondered if I'd have pursued tennis professionally if I'd started playing it an even younger age, but then I also see that the constant traveling that career entails wouldn't have suited me.
I'm a dreamer at the core, and I think, give or take, my life's unfolding along those lines.
Hello Doc.
I've always been a pretty fast runner, but as a kid competing in Sports Day at the private English school I attended in Germany, I watched for two years as Douglas M. from Scotland, edged me past the line during the 100m. When he left, I watched again as Kennedy of Kenya and surprise, surprise, another new kid, the English Martin, pushed me into third place at our version of the Games.
I was a good student too, but coming top of the class in a high school Chemistry test or being one of three mentioned as doing outstanding jobs in a World History exam, for example, were flashes in the pan. Emotional storms and a sudden all-consuming desire to fit in with the popular kids often provided significant obstacles. I never quite attained the GPA I'd set out for myself at the beginning of each quarter, losing steam usually in the last few weeks.
Me and one of my sisters enjoyed telling stories & writing novels in our childhood & teenage years, & though I completed most of mine, as did she, as an adult, unlike the aforementioned focused ambitious surgeon sister, I've found it difficult finishing longer creative projects, attaining my goals, though I still show up on the page.
(cont.)
I embrace your words and your message: Focusing on and committing to become all your interests, capabilities, and talents can be. I don’t think it is ever too late to awaken and realize your calling because for me the satisfaction is as much in pursuit as in fruition. People are proud or grateful or just happy about what they accomplish because of the effort they put into it; because of the trip, with all of the detours, potholes, backtracking, and pit stops they endured and overcame along the way.
Of course, as reflected in my micro-bio, I believe parents can have a major effect on their children by planting seeds in their kids that will allow them to achieve their own greatness in their time, and in their own way each of them can awaken their champion’s heart.
Going to think on this overnight and visit in the AM… :)
'nite...
Lawson
Reflecting on this piece and your comment on my walk this morning......
I'm not sure if my goal is intrinsic or extrinsic, as it is to take supreme care of myself today, not only for the "me" of today, but for the "me" I'll be 20 years from now. My 90 yr. old self is my constant companion these days. She's the voice of my inner coach, instructing me how SHE wants to be taken care of today, so that when I meet her in 20 years, I'll be grateful for the choices I made today. I hope that's not too convoluted.......
She's happy today. I'm at 105 minutes of exercise so far this week and my weekly goal is 200 minutes. You're right, it's the journey that really counts. I'm loving the journey!
Many blessings your way this beautiful August Wednesday,
Judith
Convoluted? Hardly; more like crystal clear!
You have given me a seed of an idea for article. What a concept… to listen to echoes from the future: hearing the requests, the urgings, even the demands of those “selfs” waiting and hoping each of us make the right decisions now.
That inner champion you refer to, for me, is like a soul seed to be nurtured as it germinates and grows: watered with focus and dedication, fertilized with love and discipline, and pruned by failures’ lessons learned.
Thank you for the message and the reminder that it certainly was a beautiful Wednesday, wasn’t it?
Much love and appreciation!
Lawson
There was no place to reply to you so went looking for you 'elsewhere.' Had already read most of your posts but it is a pleasure to re-read them... so much wisdom; so well stated. Thoroughly appreciated your cat family story. Guess they were just looking for a B&B which you so generously provided.
Yes, I agree with what you wrote ( in response to me) and especially that balance is of utmost importance. I tend to teeter-totter along although the dips are not nearly as far down as they seemed to be years ago. All in all the 'journey' is fascinating to say the least.
Thank you so much for the song url. I could not access that particular song .. if possible please re-send.. however, I did get into the site and have bookmarked it. Seems to be quite a collection.
All the best to you and yours..........
As always, I love reading you. No matter what I conclude, you always give me something to think about, or rethink about. For that, and you, I'm grateful.
As for me, I am the least goal-oriented person I've ever known. There isn't a single extrinsic motivation that moves me. And as far as intrinsic motivations, the biggest one is to live every day such that I'm content with myself.
I can't even imagine, for myself, the sort of single-focused dedication the Olympians have, nor the amount of work they put in, nor the sacrifices they make to go for the gold.
What I can imagine is a person knowing what makes him or her happy, and living that--whatever it is. Clearly, for some of us, a more quiet life will more than do. And for others, living full out is the thing.
How wonderful that the world is far big enough for us all :)
Much love,
A
Seriously? I sure am happy to reward myself with that double-swirl ice cream cone after sticking to my oatmeal and yogurt diet each week!!!
Actually seriously, I agree completely with your assessment… the shallow nature of ice-cream is well known… especially in the area of my love-handles… :p
Lawson
P.S. BTW, you opinions are certainly “worth” a lot to me.
"there will always be those for whom the price of winning is too high. There will be those who sacrificed too much of what turned out to matter the most: their families, their health, their peace of mind, and sometimes even their integrity."
My (very strong) impression is that the manner in which these "sacrifices" are made typically starts in reverse order. Which is the infamy of it all. You first lose integrity and peace of mind, before you find that it adversely affects your health and finally even your ability to relate to loved ones.
But I don't think that to see this means to not be focused on goals. To have as a goal the growth of one's spirit now and on every day in the future may however be the only goal that doesn't interfere with the dangers of the rat-race of extrinsic rewards.
The point being that extrinsic rewards tend to be not only hollow and unfulfilling but dangerous and risky. There's nothing wrong with getting excited, of course. But it must be at the individual's pace. Otherwise my prediction is that something's lost along the way.
Indeed, how wonderful it is that we each get to carve out the life we choose. Even more so is to know exactly what it is that you want and then create it, whether it's in the manifest world, or the inner world of being.
Bringing the passion of a champion to one's life can look many different ways. It doesn't necessarily involve leaping tall buildings in a single bound. For me, sometimes, just sitting down to meditate, spending time in silence and stillness takes a Herculean effort, since my instincts are very physical and I have a hard time being still. To silence the mind can take as much dedication as an Olympian brings to the task at hand. I'm still working on that one!
Thanking the universe for you this morning!
Many blessings,
Judith