If it were up to me, I would get a trophy most days. ![]() Of course I kept the trophy as a great reminder of an accomplished goal, but I remember fondly those that enabled me, encouraged me, and believed in me. I had a trophy in my hand, but I was thinking of those that helped me along the way and my own strengths as well. Yet, I was more proud of those days that I challenged myself to work towards achieving a goal. I felt a sense of belonging at the highest level of international competition, and thinking of what obstacles I had to overcome to get there. As I stood there, I debated with myself if all the time, travel and effort was worth it. I placed 2nd and was rewarded with a large trophy and plenty of podium kisses. I was diligent and focused with only this race in my scope of vision. ![]() I trained specifically for one of the largest one-day time trials in the world, Chrono des Nations, for six weeks. Not many people do real trophies anymore, yet I think they should. Racing in Europe lends for the opportunity to get an actual trophy. My successes are found in the paths that lead to the destination. My goals drive me towards a specific target, but my successes are not always found at the end of the road. That being said, I would never have those moments in between if it weren’t for my ultimate goal of standard success, trophies, and wins. Those times make it “worth it” for me, not the trophy at the end of the race. There was a menagerie of times full of laughter, tears, beauty, and love. Images of podiums, victory salutes, and gold medals were envisioned by the inquirer. However, I could not pinpoint one moment that encapsulated my reason for my sacrifices and motivation. I was recently asked in an interview what was the defining moment in my cycling career where I felt, “this is worth it”. Each day we are a part of a much bigger success story than we can ever imagine. Early in the morning, we meet our training partners, our friends, our family, our coworkers to meet in a common goal, a personal drive, and a welcoming community. ![]() When looking retrospectively, I discover that the successes that drive me are who I am each day. Even though in order to be successful, you must have a goal that often is represented by a medal of achievement, you still need to look for your own successes every day.Īlthough I am a professional cyclist and considered an accomplished athlete, I have never found satisfaction in standard successes because I always want more. To me, success is measured as a token granted each day, and not the reward of a specific trophy.
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