Why We Can't All Win Gold Medals

It comes down to 30 seconds.

You train for 20 years, 4-10 hours a day, 365 days a year. You sweat, you bleed, you cry, you swear. You spend everything you have. You prepare every second you can prepare. You travel, you sacrifice, you pray.

And then it comes down to 30 seconds.

First of all, most of us don't have the dedication it takes to practice that much. Second of all, we don't all have the talent it takes to be that good. And third of all, we don't all have the desire we need to get it all done. And that's okay. We don't all have to. We can't all win gold medals.

Because the gold medal wouldn't be the gold medal if we gave them to everyone. It's okay to recognize people for their excellence. It doesn't mean there's something deficient about the rest of us. It just means that someone has to be the best. And there's nothing wrong with having a "best". In fact, I think it's good for us. I think if more of us were a little more competitive, we might all rise to the challenge a little better.

I can't do many things in 30 seconds. I can't even imagine 30 seconds determining your entire life's work. That's intense. But if I can't do that, I can do something else.

My best friend and I used to lament, every two years, of course, that we had never won an Olympic gold medal. But now, as I watch the Olympics, I see that there's a reason why we can't all win gold medals. I couldn't handle that kind of pressure. But I'm glad there are people who can. And do.

I sure do like to watch those 30 seconds that make someone a star.