You may have caught a glimpse of the Winter Olympic Games on television this week as Vancouver hosts the world’s best athletes. The Olympics are an amazing competition full of tradition, athleticism, teamwork, determination, and perseverance. The athletes are interviewed, marketed, and packaged for the viewers like a good action movie complete with personal tragedies, heroes, villains, and great nail biting endings.

What impresses me the most is the human spirit and how the athletes handle the pressure and the honor of being an Olympian.

Where does the motivation come from…

  • to be the best in the world at something?
  • to sacrifice?
  • to train?
  • to raise money to fund an Olympic dream?
  • to represent an entire country?
  • to know that in an instant a dream will be fulfilled or come crashing to the ground?

The Olympic athlete is the Four Drive Model personified in human form. The motivational drives that fuel the athletes are internal drives that pick them up when they fall down, push them to train just one more hour, or to face their fears in front of millions of people. When is the last time you failed in front of millions?

It is a courageous act to be an Olympic athlete and compete against the world’s best. As I watch the Winter Olympic Games I am in awe of the dedication and passion the athletes demonstrate to the world. It is a gift to catch a glimpse of a dream realized through a competitive sport born out of an idea to be the best in the world.

Susan

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