I like to win.
I like it so much that when I find myself in at bookshop I am always attracted to the “motivational books” section that have taught me how to channel my cosmic energy and do yoga to rediscover my inner balance. I have also learnt how to meditate to foster positive thinking and tried out all kinds of spiritual disciplines, because….. we need to find self-confidence inside ourselves.
I like to win, but I keep on losing and that is my own sad truth.
But this truth is not particular to me, because failure, defeat and not achieving one’s goals are the bread-and-butter of us nonprofessional athletes. There is no denying that we train a lot, but we have to come to terms with the fact that swimming is not our job and we can only devote a certain amount of time to it. That is why we always feel weak and, at times, even ridiculous when we get on the starting blocks, and this insecurity is reflected in our results as we keep on recording the same times and making the same damn mistakes for months (and sometimes years) on end.
Once I found a copy of a book called “The Art of Winning” on the shelves of a bookstore. On that particular day I had no intention of reading the book in question to find out the secret recipe for success, but I…
