On the eve of a new school year, I have been hard at work preparing for classes by . . . watching the Olympic gymnastics. Well, it is the one sport my girls will sit down and watch with me.
Tonight Shawn Johnson won the gold and in a subsequent interview, I heard her answer to the question of whether she would train for the next 2012 Olympics. Here response is telling and should be understood by everyone, including coaches and managers. She said that while she had bet this would be the end (afterall, 8-10 years of guelling training is quite a commitment for a 16-year old!), she now was having a change of heart, "But after being here, I would give anything to feel this way again." Achieving excellence is what gives people this feeling and it is understandable that people will sacrifice lots to have it again.
It is why so few athletes quit while they are on top -- what is going to give them that feeling ourtside their competitive excellence? Michael Jordan couldn't get it being a mediocre baseball player. It is why CEO's come out of retirement to save another sinking ship. Playing golf does not give them that feeling. It is why successful people in about any field, will "retire" only to go back to work doing something very similar so that they can get that feeling.
So my daughters and I are already planning for the London 2012 Olympics to watch Johnson and probably her equally successful teammate, Nastia Luiken compete even though they are "older" women by gymnastics standards and have already given more than young girls should.
And I come back to start two new courses, two new sets of students, the pressure of providing them productive learning experiences . . . why? Of course, it is so I can "get that feeling."
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