Article July 17, 2000 Issue

And the winner is...

How to achieve your "personal best"

By Bethany Adlam Brix

Many years ago, a young athlete and his teammates were training for track and field competitions. His event was throwing the shot. During preliminary trials, he consistently came in first. Not surprisingly, he was part of the team that represented his country at the Olympic competition in Amsterdam. On the day of his event, with only one throw left and no real competition from other teams, our track star appeared to have the gold medal wrapped up.

Meanwhile, one of his teammates was having a pretty rough go of it. Overcome by pressure and the elite surroundings, he just couldn't get his head into the competition. Our friend took his teammate aside and told him to relax, forget the crowds, and pretend that he was back home on the practice field, throwing the shot in front of his parents. The teammate went out and threw his personal best, a throw that won the gold medal. Our friend took home the silver. Still a "winner"? Of course—but now in more ways than one.

As that gold medalist proved, the contest that first and foremost needs to be won is with oneself—with one's own fears, doubts, and apprehensions. This is true not only in athletics but in life. A woman who fought and won some of life's toughest contests, Mary Baker Eddy, recognized this fact. She wrote, "Be of good cheer; the warfare with one's self is grand; it gives one plenty of employment, and the divine Principle worketh with you,—and obedience crowns persistent effort with everlasting victory" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 118).

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