Almost every young athlete at some point dreams of competing in the Olympics and winning gold. These dreams of competing on the world's largest stage drive you to train more, eat cleaner, and work harder to become the best athlete you can possibly be. They say, "If you can dream it, you can have it," but much more goes into molding yourself into one of the best athletes in the world.
Often you have given up time with friends, struggled through injuries, and even given up going to parties or on vacations to compete or train for your sport. Sometimes you've even used your sport as an excuse to get out of things or get an extension on the due date of the paper you have been too exhausted to write. Being any kind of athlete is no easy feat, but your motivation and dreams have driven you to continue working hard to improve as much as you can in order to have a chance at becoming an Olympic athlete.
Sometimes we all think about hitting that snooze button instead of rolling out of bed for an early morning workout. Often you are sore and tired but somehow, you still drag your body out of bed to complete it. And, even if the snooze button looked appealing that morning, you have a sense of accomplishment knowing you finished your workout and gave it your all. The dedication required to finish these often grueling morning workouts is amazing. Don't feel bad if the thought of hitting snooze in the morning crosses your mind. Overcoming that temptation is all part of the game you have to play to become an Olympian and you are already winning it.
Speaking of temptations, food can be a major culprit for hurting your training. Yes, that doughnut looks amazing but is it really worth feeling less than 110% when you are struggling through a tough workout? Probably not, but every now and then it is okay to cheat a little bit. Eating healthy takes a lot of work and dedication just like those morning workouts. Don't ever get discouraged if you have a bad day with your diet. Eating like an Olympian is hard and not always as yummy as the diet of the general population but you know it will be worth it.
Your ability to stay positive and learn from your mistakes is amazing. Everyone, and I mean everyone screws up sometimes. It can be hard not to dwell on the disappointment of a mistake but moving forward and using your new found knowledge will help you to improve so that next time the situation occurs you know what to do. Who knows, the very same thing may happen when you are competing in the Olympics and having made the mistake may be why you ultimately win a gold medal!
Lastly the most amazing thing about you as an aspiring Olympic athlete is your work ethic. Balancing practices, school work, workouts, sleep, your diet, and trying to find time for friends and family proves to be nearly impossible. Somehow, you do it, and you make it work. It's hard to do. Especially balancing school work with everything. Often you make decisions on whether you will go to sleep early or be exhausted in the morning because you stay up to finish a paper or study that math test but somehow you get everything done. This balancing act is harder than completing a full routine on a gymnastic beam but, you do it, and you do it almost flawlessly.
Don't ever give up on your Olympic dream. You can be the best in the world if you work hard enough, eat clean enough, and stay focused. Not everyone has what it takes but if you are willing to give it your all, you really can achieve your dream. Stay positive and keep making forward progress, you are already truly are amazing.
Sincerely,
The Girl Who Dreams Of Being An Olympic Ski Jumper.
