As Canada sits near the top position of the medals standings in the Olympics this week, our hearts can’t help but swell with pride at the achievements of our athletes. But it is an even greater feeling for the Olympians themselves. As our first gold medalist of this Olympics, Justine Dufour-LaPointe, stood on the podium listening to the national anthem with tears streaming down her face it was evident that this was a monumental moment for her having achieved what she had set out to do, and knowing that all her hard work and dedication had led to this moment. For every Olympian, as they stand on the podium, they know that every extra workout, training session, mental preparation, etc. has allowed them to stand where they are.
Olympians are self-disciplined, dedicated, and hard-working and strive to achieve their personal best. Although we are not all world class athletes, these are traits that we can try to improve upon in our personal lives. On a smaller scale, setting goals for our personal and professional life can help us be a better version of ourselves, which will nurture inner growth and in turn project outwards to help foster our relationships and reach our goals. Getting up earlier twice a week to go to the gym, spending more time with your children, making an effort to read 30 more minutes a day, seeing family and friends more often, setting targets at work, and addressing personal issues for self-improvement are all ways we can reach towards being our personal best. Each of us has our own goals, dreams and ambitions, and should look at how we can improve our actions and our minds so that we can stand proudly at the end of the day and feel like our own champion.
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