The count down is on. Just one more week before the London Games! I am so excited to watch the worlds best athletes compete for the chance to stand on top of the podium and have their national anthem play over the speakers.
I get goose bumps just thinking about it!
Unfortunately, one athlete that we all expected to make it to the games won’t be there. Nastia Liukin.
Nastia won all of our hearts in the 2008 games when she was the all-around champion for Gymnastics. She also helped take the team to win the silver. And when she announced in October that she was going to try for London, we all got a little excited.
That excitement ended however when Nastia face planted big time off the uneven bars. At that moment she knew her Olympic chances were over and that retirement was her next step.
I love that gymnastics is so popular during the Olympics, I think people are simply mesmorized by the skill, strength and talent that these girls have. Each time I watch, I wish that I could go outside and tumble… except that Dan quickly reminds me that my back, knees, and hips are paying the price for all that tumbling I did growing up. And then I remain sitting.
But enough about my non existant gymnastics career, because let’s face it you and I may not be Olympic athletes but that doesn’t mean we can’t have the heart of one.
Nastia didn’t make it back to the team this year, and it could be because she waited too long to get back in the gym, or that she was overtrained (craming it all in 6 days a week for 7 hours a day since October), but one thing that can’t be said is that she didn’t have the heart.
In a press conference after the trials, Nastia stated that walking off the floor of trials was the second most special moment in her career. Feeling the love from those around her as they gave her a standing ovation served as a reminder of what she had worked so hard for all those years. She lost, yet everyone treated her as a winner that night.
How can you have the heart of an Olympian? Because trust me, having one will help you not only be more motivated in life but will also help you be more successful.
Follow these 5 tips to have “Heart”
Believe your the best.
It’s a simple as that. When something good comes your way, don’t look at it as you got lucky, or you got a break… it came your way because you deserve it. You’re a rock star. When you start looking at yourself as if you’re the best, that aura will come off you and you will notice that people treat you differently, better. You’ll be given the respect, and new opportunities.
I feel as if in today’s time thinking your the best is frowned upon as being “cocky” or “conceded”, that’s not the case at all. Being the best doesn’t mean telling people you are the best, or telling others they aren’t the best. It just means always having your game face on and not being afraid to step up to the plate to over deliver.
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Don’t be afraid of competition.
A lot of women will say they don’t like competition. I hear it all the time in my boot camps. But competition doesn’t necessarily mean going up against someone else.
In fact, I frown at that sort of competition because I feel it should always be against yourself. Compete with yourself to be the best. When you go to do something, do it right and do it with everything you’ve got.
Even when I am running a race or competing in a strong women’s contest, it’s not about beating the girl next to me, it is about me giving my all to do the best I can. If I think I am able to run faster or lift a few more reps, then I dig deep to find the power to do it. Running past the girl beside me is just a perk 
The worst feeling ever is to finish something and know in your mind you could have done better.
No Olympian would be where they are if they were afraid of competition. They all have the incredible power to get into the zone and focus on one thing… winning.
Be passionate.
If you don’t like what you do, then don’t do it. It’s as simple as that. If you don’t like your job, start taking the steps to decide what you would love to do. And move forward, don’t let fear of changing professions stop you from actually enjoying life. You are at work at least 40 hours a week, do you want to be miserable and unpassionate over 2000 hours a year?
The same goes for your workouts, if you dread going to do your current workout then reevaluate. You’re setting yourself up for skipping out on workouts and doing them half-assed. Change it up, look into the options around you (and online) to find something that keeps you engaged and excited.
Passion is the spice of life!
Check out this video of Nastia training, you can see the passion and love she has for her sport. Otherwise, why would she do so many freaking calf raises!?
There is a famous quote that goes something like… “Brick walls are there to see how badly you really want something.” This is so true. When life knocks you down, jump back up and follow Dora’s advice:
Just keep swimming!
I can’t help but turn from Nastia for a second to point out Lolo Jones… this amazing hurdler was expected to win the gold in 2008, that is until she hit the second to last hurdle and ended up 7th. Sure she thought about walking away from the sport right then, but she knew in her Olympian heart that she couldn’t.
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When you find a brick wall in your path, don’t just push against it and walk away because it won’t come down… grab a freaking sledge hammer and pummel it to the ground.
Doing It Even When You Don’t Want To.
Don’t you think that athletes have days when the last thing they want to do it get up and workout? These girls train for 6-8 hours, 5-6 days a week leading up to the games. This is their job, and just like our jobs they have days they don’t want to go into the office.
But they do it, because they remember what their goals are, the ultimate prize and they know that no matter how good they are today, they can be better tomorrow because of their training.
I know it’s crazy, but when I don’t want to do something I know I should be doing, I am motivated by the thought that there are others doing what I need to be doing. If they can handle it, then I can to. Bring it!
Whether it’s getting to the gym before work or after work, or whatever remember that what you do today affects who you are and how you feel tomorrow. Leave no room for regret.
So there they are: the 5 ways to have the heart of Nastia, Lolo, and every other Olympian role model.
- Who’s your favorite Athlete?
- What sport are you most excited to see?
In other news, completely unrelated… I woke up after a rather peaceful sleep with a swollen, tender knee. What the heck! Lol, has anyone else ever gone to bed fine, and woken up with an injury?
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hi Taylor,
Great blog and very effective tips to have heart and to increase confidence. Lifting weights not only helps in increasing muscles but also burn our calories and helps in maintaining healthy body weight. Besides weight lifting we must focus on our meal plans also and have balanced diet plans to meet body requirement for lifting weights.