The summer Olympic and Paralympic Games happen once every four years. Each of those summers gives us the opportunity to watch the best people from all over the world come together to compete for the most notable award in sports history: the gold medal. For those of us just watching, it can be a time of excitement, a time of reflection, and a time of drive. Watching the hard work of competitors unfold in front of you might have you thinking “why not me?” And why not? Let’s talk about some of the most important lessons we’ve been able to take from the 2024 Olympics and how they apply to our daily lives.
1. Determination and practice help you reach major achievements. They don’t call it “work” for no reason. Day to day, we are actively making choices that help us reach the goals we have set for ourselves. Regardless of if the goal is to clean your room today or to be the fastest swimmer in the world by 2028, your skills, capabilities, and determination is what will help you reach those goals. Practice truly does make perfect. Did you know that from the start of the 2024 Olympics on July 26th to August 5th, 34 records had been broken at the 2024 Olympics? Some by the people who SET them. In just 12 days, 34 previous records had been broken. Can you believe that?! Swimmer Katie Ledecky is one of those athletes, beating her OWN Olympic record by 2.33 seconds, 3 years after setting the original record.
2. “Teamwork makes the dream work.” One of the most important takeaways, for us, is that people of all different backgrounds, histories, and training can come together to work towards a common goal. The things you have learned and will learn as you grow are completely different from the things your friend has learned and will continue to learn. What’s important is the ability to take that separate knowledge and work as a team! In our clinic, our therapists work together to provide the best therapy to their clients and sometimes it takes the support of another therapist to determine what that “best therapy” looks like today. It’s important to be able to identify your partner or team’s strengths and weaknesses and put the right actions in motion to help the team get to where they want to be.
3. Responsibility. This can be tough sometimes. Whether you win or you lose, you make the decision on how that changes you as a person. How does winning or losing influence your day? Does it make you want to stop or keep going? Will you let the result of your choices define you or will it make you work harder? Gymnast Simone Biles chose to end her competition early at the last summer Olympics because of a health issue. Nicknamed the “Greatest Of All Time” in gymnastics, she worked to make her body strong and healthy again to continue to compete. Choosing to put herself first did not define her negatively. She was able to adjust her approach to her craft, her decisions, and her training to come back stronger than ever. Her responsibility was her health, what is yours today?
4. Inclusivity. The Olympics and Paralympics work hard to make sure the best of the best can compete for their country regardless of their shape, size, abilities, or routines. You do not have to act, talk, or be like someone else to be accepted and valuable. What is most amazing about the evolution of the world we’re in is the accommodations that can be made for those that need them, you included! In 1988, a fencer named Pal Szekeres won a bronze medal at the Olympics. Although he became injured in an accident three years later, he went on to win a gold medal in 1992 season that followed, this time in the Paralympics! This not only speaks to the availability of the sport depending on the competitor’s abilities, but also Pal’s determination to continue to work towards his goals.
5. You don’t need the gold to feel accomplished. Who doesn’t love a shiny medal? The great part about self-confidence is you that you don’t need an award to feel fulfilled. Self-confidence can be difficult to find, but having the courage to do something hard that scares you is already a step in the right direction! There is nothing wrong with being happy with your progress regardless of “having proof” that you reached it. We’re all accomplishing new goals every single day! The rewarding part is knowing you are brave enough to do the work to meet your goals.
As the 2024 summer Olympics wraps up and the 2024 Paralympics is right around the corner, we look forward to continuing to learn more about the sport, the competitors, and about ourselves in the process! The summer Olympics may only happen every four years, but growth is a daily event.
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