The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat

"Beets"
Oil, 11" x 14"
Available here.

Sunday's olympic coverage was heartfelt. On the one hand we watched a cyclist from the USA, who was in the lead for a good part of her four hour race, get passed in the last hundred meters by three cyclists. She ended up taking fourth, just out of medal contention. The agony of defeat.

A few hours later we saw the USA men's 4 x 100 meter freestyle relay on the medal podium. After winning the gold we all watched the USA flag raised to the star spangled banner. During the national anthem one of the USA swimmers, Ryan Held (who had just swam his first Olympic event ever), broke down and cried during our anthem. His overwhelmingly happy emotions brought tears to most of us. Ahh, the thrill of victory.

We all have good and bad experiences in the studio. In any given week we have good days and bad days. Sometimes our paintings suck whereas on other days we can't believe we created the fabulous art sitting on our easel! I believe we have to go through the lows to really enjoy the highs. It's important that you don't let defeat get you down. Instead, use it as a motivator to get right back up again.

There is a US olympic swimmer (her name is Kristy Kowal) who has a heartfelt Olympic story. In the 1996 olympic trials she placed third in the 100 breaststroke by 1/100th of a second. Since only two swimmers make the olympic team in the event she missed making the team. But Kristy was a competitor and kept swimming for another four years. At the Olympic Trials in 2000 she swam the 100 breast again and took third again. By 1/100th of a second. I am not kidding. No one could believe it. One one hundredth of a second ... again? 

Fortunately, she swam the 200 breaststroke two days later and placed second. She finally made the olympic team! And the best news? She won the silver medal a month later at the Sydney Olympic Games!