His arms burned as he surged through the water to the finish. He hit the touch pad and looked up at the clock. A new personal best.
Swimming Touch Pad
He let himself sink back into the water. As he fought to catch his breath, a similar struggle played on his face between a smile and a frown. A personal record was cool, but it also meant that next time he'd have to swim even faster.
I've been told not everyone experiences this kind of stress. But I did. That's why I always hated competition but loved practice. With practice, I could improve. With competitions, I only set the bar a little higher... or failed to meet my previous potential.
How do you get over this mounting pressure?
You have to refocus. Barbara Postma has some very encouraging thoughts on this in her post on The Seemingly Negative Consequences of Succeeding. I very much appreciated the reminder that in such cases we need a broader perspective. I certainly needed that nudge today, after dealing with the responsibilities associated with some of my larger successes.
Have you ever felt the weight of success? Any other suggestions for handling added responsibilities?
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester
P.S. Barbara's post is one of many Other Posts of Note. If you're ever looking for more interesting, insightful, challenging, and funny content, check them out.
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