As the Paris Olympic Games 2024 draw to a close, there are so many inspiring stories from each of these Olympic level athletes. Their stories of triumph of over adversity, dedication towards their sport, and impact on society continue to inspire people. Olympic Games are not just about winning medals, but also about the human spirit, perseverance and the pursuit for excellence.
Let us look at some of the qualities that we can learn from Olympic level athletes.
Dare to dream
When Abhinav Bindra won India’s first-ever individual Olympic Gold at 2008 Beijing Olympics, no Indian athlete had achieved this feat in the 112-year Olympics history. Bindra’s success opened the door for Indian sportspersons to dream big and of their ultimate prized possession - an Olympic Gold, a far cry from the days when Indians went to Olympics to just participate and fill up the numbers. Now, the attitude of our players has changed drastically and we are now going to Olympics not just to participate, but with a realistic chance of winning medals.
Never give up
In life as in sport, never ever give up. Globally, Olympic athletes are known for always pushing it to the limit, even when everything seems to be lost, when that last step feels like it’s a mile away, or when that ultimate centimeter seems to be a kilometer long, Olympians don’t give up. They keep on trying, keep on pushing, and keep on believing they can still win. It is this hunger for success, the never-say-die attitude and the constant drive for improvement is what differentiates between an Olympic champion and other athletes.
Discipline, Dedication and Hard work
There is no substitute for hard work and when discipline, dedication and hard work are combined the results are there to be seen. All the athletes competing at the Olympic Games live and breathe sports all day long. Six days a week, they slog through the same punishing schedule thereby maintaining a strong work ethic. They train, eat, sleep, rest, and live thinking about how to continuously excel at the sport they are participating in. Champions do not become champions when they win an event, but in the hours, weeks, and months, and years they spend preparing for it.
Chase excellence
"Neeraj Chopra is excellence personified", said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he won silver at Paris Olympics. It is Neeraj’s ability to take up challenges in his way, always striving to become the best version of him, raising the bar for himself, has made him what he is today. Neeraj has always chased excellence. Success has automatically followed him. No wonder then, Neeraj has won gold at all the biggest sporting events in the world - Olympic Games, World Championship, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Diamond League, a feat unprecedented for an Indian athlete.
Follow your passion
“It’s all about passion,” said Sachin Tendulkar, one of the greatest cricketers the world has ever seen, when asked as to what kept him going with the same level of enthusiasm in his 24-year old long non-stop international cricketing career. Cricket may not be an Olympic sport but this sentiment will be echoed by all great athletes across the world and could easily be termed as one of the secret mantras of their success. You should be very passionate about your goals and work hard towards it.
Mental toughness
The greatest athletes also have the strongest minds ” this is what sets them apart from their peers. They keep going in pursuit of their goals despite facing obstacles along the way. They do not buckle under pressure and adversity. The key difference between an athlete winning an Olympic medal and coming close to winning one is his mental ability of handling pressure in crunch situation, holding on to his nerves and delivering when it matters the most.
Follow your instincts
“Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation,” said America’s Michael Jordan, widely acclaimed as the greatest basketball player of all time. One must have the courage and confidence to follow his own gut instincts. Olympic history reveals a list of athletes who have fought cancer and other dreadful diseases in the past; some even twice and have even won medals for their country.
Inspire a generation
“My bronze will inspire youngsters to take up badminton," said Saina Nehwal after she won India's first ever badminton medal in Olympics at 2012 London Games. Her medal definitely changed a lot of things in the country. PV Sindhu went a step further by winning silver at 2016 Rio Olympics and bronze at 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Saina’s medal also inspired a whole lot of younger generation girls in India to take up not just badminton but other sports as well. Even Mary Kom’s bronze in boxing at 2012 London Games and Sakshi Malik’s bronze in wrestling at 2016 Rio Olympics inspired lot of women in India to actively participate in sports. Manu Bhaker’s two Olympic medals at Paris will also inspire young Indian girls to take up shooting.
