What the Finish Line Teaches Us

My father, twin brother, and I at age seven, skiing at Little Switzerland, a small hill in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Perhaps one of the most formative and earliest memories for me was early into my ski racing career. At about the age of 6, I remember crossing the finish line at Ski Brule, a 500-vertical foot ski hill in Northern Michigan. I have a vivid recollection of running into my dad’s arms and being absolutely elated, I had just won my first ever medal in ski racing, a 10th place. My dad, lifted me up and hugged me, and said,

“I am so proud of you! Now, what are you going to do next time to win?”

With these two sentences and many more like them throughout my childhood, my father taught me two valuable lessons. First and foremost, he taught me the importance of celebrating your little victories. Be proud of how far you’ve made it, and the hurdles that you have overcome. Equally important, however, seek out how you can improve and keep climbing to the next best thing. It is one thing to set a goal and reach it but, the people who work and push to reach their goals, then turn around to look for the next way to improve and get better are the true movers and shakers of the world. He taught me that great isn’t good enough.