The 2014 Winter Olympics have begun in Sochi, Russia, where more than three thousand athletes are competing for gold in nearly one hundred events over the next two weeks. Between performances we will learn from broadcasters the tremendous commitment by participants to get there, how much time they invested to achieve peak performance, and the sacrifices endured to realize their dreams. We will learn their preparations required long hours practicing every day, maintaining a nutritious diet, and prioritizing the Olympics over everything else. We will become familiar with how they maintained their focus and effort for years in hopes of earning an Olympic medal and receiving recognition at being the best in their sport.
Knowing how extensive they train, how dedicated their effort, and how singular their focus, could you imagine someone expecting to make the Olympic team by practicing only a few minutes each day, prioritizing other activities ahead of their training regimen, and declining to eat healthy? We would laugh at such irrational expectations. Even naturally superior athletes must sacrifice heavily and devote themselves fully to have any hope of earning a spot on the Olympic team, perhaps medaling, and achieving their athletic ambitions.
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