The Making of a Spiritual Olympian

“He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.” ~ Bessie Anderson Stanley

Are you watching the Olympics?

Has it reignited a lost passion for a sport you once loved?

The Olympics, unlike any other sporting event, inspires us to be the best we can be.

The athletes participating in the games represent the best of the best. And among the best of the best, a select few stand alone.

Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky continue to dominate the swimming world. The U.S. women’s gymnastics team completely trounced the rest of the field. In a world where legends are born and lifelong dreams are dashed by tiny margins, these achievements are truly mind boggling. The greatest athletes in the world make the impossible look easy.

While you may be inspired, you may find it hard to entertain the idea that you can be the best in the world at anything.

Let’s explore this idea

In the conventional and material world, the title “best in the world” can only be conferred on one person. In order to be the best, you need to be better than everybody else. You need to be a fierce competitor. And you’re always anxiously defending your turf against others who desperately want what you have.

Does being best in the world require such intense competition? There’s no question that this extreme competitiveness push us well past our limits to accomplish great things. But there’s often a price to pay. If your only goal is to be better than everybody else, losing can be a very painful experience. A sense of entitlement can slowly creep in. One can easily get caught up in their own ego and lose perspective on what’s truly important for one’s own happiness and well-being.

There’s another path to being best in the world. In the spiritual realm, being best in the world does not prevent anybody else from being the best as well.

So what does it take to becoming a spiritual olympian?

1. Surrender

At first glance, surrendering seems to be the furthest thing from the mind of a peak athlete. Athletes and coaches leave almost nothing to chance in their quest for gold. They use every technique and technology to give them every possible advantage.

In truth, once the contest begins, they need to fully let go and trust that all their years of training will pay off in the end.

In the spiritual life, striving will not allow you to experience peak well-being. Surrendering is not weakness but the realization that you can never be fully in control of your life. And facing this reality gives you the freedom to trust in the power of grace to work miracles in your life when you least expect it.

2. Give

Can you imagine Usain Bolt sharing tips with his competitors on how they can beat him in the 100m track and field final — just before the start of the race? Not a chance.

Competitive sports can seem like the most selfish pursuit there is. But look a little closer and you’ll see this is not completely true. In their drive to win, Olympic athletes give their all. And in doing so, they share something more valuable than tips and tricks. They motivate every other competitor on the field to give their all as well.

In the spiritual world, witholding generosity from others will leave you impoverished. Living to your fullest potential requires that you work to help others reach theirs.

3. Align

Olympians are famous for their singular focus. They make unbelievable sacrifices to be the best in the world at what they do.

Spiritually you can do this too. Want to be more patient, loving, or generous? Make it your singular focus to align with the values that truly matter to you. What’s cool about this is that being more loving does not prevent others from doing so themselves. In fact, it will inspire others to love more deeply themselves.

Go for gold

It’s hard to watch the Olympics and not be inspired.

If you’re feeling inspired by the games, don’t let this opportunity go to waste.

If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines, now is the time to get into the arena of life.

Don’t settle for a life of mediocrity.

Get off your butt and go for gold.