Success is Not Convenient
(Written 4 months before competing in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics)
What are you willing to do to reach your goals? All you need to do is whatever it takes - whether it's convenient or not.
Here's a small, tiny in fact, part of what I'm doing to get ready for the Vancouver Olympics, less than four months away:
The top 40 men in the world get to compete in the Men's Luge event at the Vancouver Olympics. These will be determined by last season's race results and four races coming up in about a month - Calgary, Canada, Lillehammer, Norway, Igls, Austria and Altenberg, Germany.
Two weeks ago I flew to Oslo and trained for a week in Lillehammer (I had never luged there before so I needed to learn the track). Then I flew home for a couple of speaking engagements, then back to Europe to learn the Altenberg, Germany track.
Here's a quick recap of my travel to Altenberg (which I pay myself because I have no sponsors).
10 hour flight from Houston to Amsterdam
5 hour layover in Amsterdam because my Houston flight was delayed for 2 hours so I missed my original flight to Prague.
2 hour flight to Prague.
1 hour drive to Prague train station.
2 hour wait for train.
2 hour train ride to Dresden, Germany.
5 minute sprint with my bags to make connecting train to some town in Germany. (It would have taken Usain Blot about a minute, but I'm no Usain Bolt!)
15 minute train ride followed by another 3 minute sprint to make train to Altenberg, Germany.
Arrived Altenberg 10:30 PM, the train station was closed and the town looked to be asleep. No taxis in sight. Even gas stations were closed.
Walked down main street for 30 minutes pulling my bags and finally flagged a van in the street and got a ride to my hotel.
Arrived to my hotel at about 11:30 PM, called home, and slept like a baby until this morning.
Walked the track with coach at 9:00 AM to learn how to drive all the curves.
Was taking my first two runs at 10:30 AM. Will take 2 more runs this evening.
All together I will get 15-18 luge runs this week. It feels like I'm cramming for a big test. My big test is in about a month when I will be back here to race against the best in the world for the points necessary to qualify for the Vancouver Olympics.
Cost for airfare, trains, room and board, etc. for 15-18 luge runs this week? About $2000. Olympic Dream? PRICELESS!
Moral -
Be willing to do whatever it takes to realize your dreams. I've had many tough travel days over the years. I've slept in a lot of airports over the years - Burlington, VT about 10 times! Also Munich, DC, Oslo, and in a few days Prague. But I guarantee you, it's worth it.
Be willing to pay the price and you'll get to enjoy the PRIZE! You'll forget about the inconveniences but you'll never forget what it feels like to realize your dreams.
Ruben Gonzalez is a four-time Olympian, a bestselling business author and an award-winning keynote speaker. Ruben will turn your next meeting into an Olympic event you will never forget. For information on how to bring him to your next event, visit PremiereSpeakers.com/Ruben_Gonzalez.
