the accomplishment of a medal

"Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts."

i love this, because nothing is about the gold medal or any medal in that case.  they are just there to show you what you have already accomplished, and to make you try harder - knowing you are working towards something.  Apolo Ohno keeps his gold medals from the Olympics in his sock drawer, to make it look like he hasn't won anything, which makes him work harder.  being an athlete, and having goals is all about the process to achieving your goal.  I once over heard a conversation someone had with Darby Huckle.  he told her that she was going to the Olympics, and she boldly replied that it's not about the Olympics, it's about how I get to the Olympics.  the Olympics is just the biggest tournament she has been to; it's just the accomplishment.  but everything she has done to get to that point makes everything so rewarding.  it makes the accomplishing feeling so much greater.  to prepare for the Olympics she works out a lot, she practices, she trains, she mentally prepares herself.  if Darby qualifies for the Olympics, and if she wins gold, even silver or bronze; she can say that, that medal is made of sweat, determination, and gut, because that girl has put so much into her goal, and so much into winning that medal.
as for the soccer trophies sitting on my shelf, and the huge box of track ribbons sitting under my bed, they are only there to show me what i have accomplished in the past.  i like to look at them, and remember the game that i played, or the race that i ran.  the person i was on the field.  i like to use them to inspire me to give it my all every game and race.  Instead i want to look to this summer and make goals of 'what am i going to accomplish as Amy, as a soccer player' rather than focusing on who i was and what i have done.  i want to focus on setting goals and achieving them, rather than winning. 

~amy