One of the things that has really struck me, is how completely devastated team members are when they feel they have “let everyone down” by failing to achieve a gold medal.  Many comments on this have been made about how it is clear there is “too much pressure” on our sports men and women, too high an expectation for them to achieve.  I loved the response to this from a member of Team GB on Twitter “Pressure is a privilege!”

Yes, it is hard to watch someone berating themselves for achieving what most of us can only dream of, often having won a Silver or Bronze medal or achieved a Personal Best.  It can make us feel uncomfortable and even stir up feelings of anger.  It is important to remember that these athletes are setting themselves these standards in order to achieve what otherwise seems impossible.  The self-belief required to push yourself day in, day out, when it would be so easy to say “enough”.  The determination it takes to say “I can and I will” when all the odds are saying “Forget it, it’s an impossible dream” is off the scale.

Will there be disappointment along the way? Will we fail to always achieve our standards when we set them so high?  Yes.  What makes these sportsmen and women heroes is their ability to rise up, time after time and do it again – faster, further, higher.  Every time they achieve less than that Gold, they have a reason to keep raising the bar.

Choose to go for gold today – to raise that bar and face it with self-belief and determination.  I can see you on the podium already!