Motivational Story - Never Give Up on Your Dream

I was watching some reruns of the old “X Games” on cable television and admiring the daredevil skills of the guys and gals involved in Snowboarding. When I did some research, I came across a story on one of the past athletes I wanted to share that was about the ultimate in desire and perseverance to pursue a childhood dream.

This tells the story about Justin Reiter, then age 33, who was chosen for the Alpine Snowboard team that would compete in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This piece is not going to be about the Olympic result but rather the incredible Mission he took to get there!

Justin left home in California at age 18 to make the move to Colorado so that he could train and race against the best competition in the U.S. and around the world. Twice he would fall short in his first two attempts to make the Olympic team at the trials; once because of injury in 2006 and the other by just one qualifying spot in 2010.

Before you read further, know that for most of the U.S. Alpine Snowboarding athletes, everything comes out of their own pockets for travel, food and room & board cost that can average around $30K over the course of a season.

Despite the daunting financial challenges, Reiter set up a “Rally Me” online campaign to raise funds in his run to make the 2014 Team and also came up with a unique plan to save where he could. He chose now to move away from Colorado and take up residence in Park City, Utah and almost like taking a script from the “Survivor” TV show, Reiter made a decision to live in the back of his Toyota truck for a five month period leading up to the Olympic trials and camp out in the mountains.

There would be no shelter, electricity or everyday modern conveniences for him to rely on each day. He outfitted his truck with a platform bed, cooler, a topper, a mountain bike and this would be his home on wheels. It was Olympics or bust!

"In the past I've always been a blue-collar athlete. I've worked full-time and trained part-time," he would state. "For this one last shot at the Olympics, I didn't want any regrets. I found that the longer you live with ‘less’ you realize the ‘less’ that you actually need," he explained

For most of his time in Park City, Reiter would hit the gym for long hours, five days a week, strengthening and stretching his body. At other times, he would train outside, hiking by feet and or pedaling up & down the Utah Mountains on his bike. He says the experience and adventure allowed him the undistracted freedom to focus on getting himself in peak condition to make the U.S. Olympic Team.

When he finally received the call that he was to be a member of the 2014 Olympic Snowboarding team, Reiter said then: “It was such a huge weight off my chest. I had finally achieved my childhood goal; something I had spent twenty years pursuing. I teared up and said ‘Thank You!’ There wasn’t much else to say.”

What you take from this story is that every athlete faces many challenges and has to battle through the ups and downs. It’s what you make of your own opportunity. Never excuse yourself or take pity. Your future is not measured by your past. Stay focused, true to your Mission and go after it! 

Jim Loria

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE RELATING TO THIS STORY:

“When you visualize, then you materialize. If you’ve been there in the mind you’ll go there in the body” – stated by Denis Waitley, motivational speaker and best-selling author

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