I Might Not Be The Best, But I’m The Most Fun

If you watched any of this year’s Winter Olympics, the name Adam Rippon probably sounds familiar. His fun, contagious, quirky personality swiftly stole the hearts of thousands, including mine. While competing at the highest level in Pyeongchang, his positive attitude and unwavering confidence was undeniable. The mindset behind his outlook was revealed in one of his post-skate interviews when he stated:

“I might not be the best, but I’m the most fun.”

Hearing this quote made me realize that determining your worth in this sport based on your times will only drain the joy and fun from your experience. Let’s be honest, considering how competitive swimming is in the US, odds are you’re not always the fastest one on the blocks. This is where Adam’s quote comes in…so what? This doesn’t mean to not work hard towards being the best, because why else would we put ourselves through those 5 am practices? But until you reach that goal, no one is stopping you from being the most fun. We only have so many years in this sport, and the memories from messing with your coaches on deck or goofing off with your teammates will last longer than any time will. You have the opportunity to make an impact on your team, to create the best environment possible and help set everyone up to be successful, including yourself. If you’re focusing too much on the end result and not enjoying the path it takes to get there, you’re going to miss the best part of being an athlete. So next time you walk into a meet, try not to focus on not only being the best in the pool but the most fun on deck.