I am inspired by the pursuit of excellence maybe because I grew up with a father who was a two-time Olympian, a mother who competed in the Canadian Open in golf. Also, 70% of the Canadian Olympic Sailing Team every Olympics came from my sailing club. Olympians were my coaches, neighbours and friends. Even though I competed at a high recreational level, my role of helper and daughter kept my Olympic dream in the background.
In sailing the types of boats used in the Olympics change on occasion to address technology or a change in popularity. Just before the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney Australia, the type of boat I was sailing was named as an Olympic Class. I was in Sydney, in my role as helper again, working with the VIP hospitality program. At the end of the regatta, I was standing on the dock watching the Canadian Sailing Team sail in on their final day.
The team included people I had coached, sailed with and against and many I had beaten. I decided there on the dock that this was my time, that I was not going to be a spectator anymore. No more watching everyone else, it was time to pull the Olympic Dream out of the back of my mind and put it into action.
I knew if it was going to happen, I had to take charge and make it happen.
When you start an Olympic campaign, you know it is going to be at least a 4-year commitment and most likely 8 years plus. You make a choice to become a little bit better every day to just be able take a shot at qualifying for the Olympics. There are no guarantees.
Today, everyone is looking for immediate results and if they don’t get immediate results, they give up or quit or look for someone to blame.
When you have big dreams or goals why should life or business be any different than an Olympic Journey? It is about doing something every day that makes you a little bit better to get you a little bit closer to that goal. Perseverance and effort pay off.
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