Olympian. There I said it. I am certain that the same visual imagery is playing out in your mind as well. That of a breathtaking streak of brilliance, seeing which – your jaw drops, the world stops spinning, and time seems to have paused to join in the spectacle, to watch it with its own eyes. When it ends, your soul stands up to applaud. For you have witnessed a metamorphosis – that of a human turning into a god, a human turning into an Olympian.
The Olympics is a contest where the most skillful gladiators of the planet of varying disciplines compete fiercely for an inch of greatness and honor that they can earn for their respective countries. Nerve-shredding, brutal, and fierce would be a gross understatement. An Olympian, you would believe, lives in an alternate universe where the laws of physics don’t apply and possesses powers of strength and concentration that are borderline superhuman. Like the “Iceberg illusion,” all we mortals get to see is the mere tip- that few seconds of magic labeled as “success,” the medal – either bronze, silver, or gold. But we never get to see how the iceberg was formed in the first place. How its bedrock consists of decades of preparations, sacrifices, tears, and aspirations. We don’t see how the iceberg is fuelled by the fiery pits of drive, dedication, and painstakingly adopted habits and routines. We never see the dark recesses of a million failed attempts, the murky oceans of sweat in which the iceberg thrives, nor the resounding lows of self-doubts and agony that accompany it. The three Ps of perseverance, patience, and perfection act as gills for the Olympians, allowing them to swim in the everlasting tides of pain, failures and anguish. These qualities enable them to tap hidden reserves of strength and confidence when the situation demands it, thereby creating magic out of thin air. Olympians thus develop a mindset that stops at nothing but excellence and propels them to defy the odds, bend the laws of physics and stop time dead on its tracks.
An unrelenting, fair and dedicated work ethic is the cornerstone of an Olympian’s success. This sets a hard-working culture that creates repeatable habits that, in turn, produce results. What sets them apart is their insatiable hunger for self-improvement, the evolutionary process of bettering oneself and never stopping short of excellence. The ability to not define their attempts by the intensity of the falls but with the gumption to carry on make them legends. This is our humble tribute to the undying, ever-burning spirit of Olympians who are the living embodiment of the human spirit. We offer our salutes to them. And in these difficult times, this is exactly the inspiration, the world needs.
Photo Source – The Olympics website.
