I don’t mean to monopolize my blog with news of my daughter’s synchronized ice skating team, but no sooner did I praise the spirit and efforts of this team that keeps coming in last, than they came in 6th out of 16 teams competing for the East Coast title. I wish I’d had my camera ready when their coach told them that they placed 2nd in the qualifying round. There were shrieks, tears, hugs, jumps, and ear-to-ear smiles from skaters, parents, and coaches alike. Their spirit never shattered, and that optimism and hard work paid off big time this past weekend at Eastern Sectionals in Lake Placid, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics.
Lake Placid was where the “Miracle on Ice” US hockey team defeated the Soviet team, who had won nearly every world championship and Olympic tournament since 1954. They proceeded to go on to win the gold. When I suggested to my daughter that her team is the new “Miracle on Ice”, she took offense. She said that it wasn’t a miracle that they won. They worked hard for it. She had an excellent point, but I explained to her that it’s often a miracle that a last-place team will work so hard as to leap to the head of the pack so suddenly.
One big change the team made was to utilize the entire ice rink and get as close to the edge as possible. They had been staying in a smaller comfort zone, but it was restricting them from reaching their full potential and pleasing the judges. Once they broke out of their self-imposed boundaries, it enabled them to gain more confidence in their abilities and talent. Once they discarded the fear of failure, they excelled and succeeded.
We have been spinning our wheels toward economic recovery. It is often hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but all it takes is one break-through moment generated from weeks, months, and years of energy. Real estate can be a long frustrating process, but those who persevere are usually rewarded in the end. I continue to applaud the Signature team for its Olympic attitude.
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