It is so exciting that the Winter Olympics has begun! Watching the figure skaters twirl with dizzying momentum, the skiers maneuver the mogul terrain and the hockey players pass with precision is awe inspiring. As I watch these athletes I am amazed and hold admiration at their natural talent and fine-tuned skill. I love that the Olympic coverage is also giving us a glimpse into what it takes to be an Olympic Athlete. The behind the scenes story that makes it all the more remarkable! A peek at what it takes to be elite.
Last night as the women’s freestyle moguls skiing event was underway the broadcaster revealed that one of the US women’s coaches mentioned to his Olympic freestyler, that she could do this run and bring home a medal because she had done 3,000+ leg squats, had run hundreds of miles and practiced her jumps for a multitude of hours. The exact numbers were given during the broadcast and they were astounding. It made me wonder how it would even be possible as a human being to accomplish those numbers. The time it would take, the toll on the body, the strength of spirit, the focused attention, the will and determination.
One of my daughters is reading the book, The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance, which is about what it takes to be an elite athlete. It was actually given to my husband as a gift but my daughter decided to read it because she was perusing the house for something to read and it peeked her interest. As a driven and intense athlete this book is a perfect fit for her even if it is targeted at an older demographic. She has begun to share golden nuggets that have touched her. Yesterday she must have asked about twenty times how many hours she has put into playing and practicing her beloved sport of hockey. We finally asked her why she needed to know that detail. She explained, to be an elite athlete one needs to dedicate 10,000 hours to the sport, playing, practicing, and training. We could see the wheels turning in her head figuring out how she could reach that bar that is set so high and the time, energy and effort needed to invest in the endeavor.
We all have hopes, dreams and goals in our lives. The question is, are you willing to put in the time, energy, effort and focus to bring them to fruition. It is much easier to dream and say that it will happen “one day” than to actualize it. In my life I have had dreams that have manifested, like writing a book for Hay House and others that have evaporated with time, like being a congresswomen. The ingredients for the recipe of success are: a willingness to invest in the time it takes to achieve your goal, having complete and laser focus on the end goal, creating a strategy that makes your vision achievable and an unwavering knowing in your heart that it is possible.
The next time you think about your ideal life and the goals you hope to accomplish, I have one question for you. Are you willing to put in 10,000 hours?
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Happy Soaring!
XOXO
