Always on the Move

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

-T.S. Eliot

I used to focus solely on grades and school. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I didn’t push myself to try many things. I wasn’t very confident and I didn’t know my strengths. All of that changed when I started swimming.

My priorities weren’t the best. I would spend an hour fixing my hair and makeup, watch too much television, and generally dilly-dally before I joined the sport. Once I started getting up for morning practice around 5:30 a.m., I began to value sleep and grades more than having a heavier social life or being the most put together. I went from spending hours in the morning primping to learning how to focus on the more important things and taking on new challenges.

Simply trying to swim was a challenge for me, but I knew I needed to try. I hadn’t swam before and I had asthma, so I had a few more obstacles than the rest. It was hard. Hard as hell sometimes. We literally had a week called “hell week” during winter break. But I persevered. I took the hurdles and moved past them. I wanted it badly enough so I worked for about 24 hours each week to get better.

You have to learn what your priorities in life are, and make time for them. It might take some trial and error, but you have to do it for yourself. I am no longer afraid to try new things and have learned to accept change.

Through the sport, I learned not to be afraid of failing, because at least I was trying. I pushed myself harder and harder and sometimes even too hard. I learned that spreading yourself too thin a few times is better than not doing enough though.

Someone will always be there to tell you that you can’t do something. Sometimes that voice will come from inside. It’s your responsibility to learn what your limits are and to push past them. Swimmers know probably better than most how to stay on the move and make a crazy schedule look easy.