Success Doesnt Always Come Easy

On a raw, cold day in the European Alps, LanceArmstrong steered his bike into the sleeting snow,then stopped. His partner riding in the car behindhim urged Lance to give it up for the day and returnto the comfort of his shelter.

But Lance Armstrong considered himself a winner,and a person who was willing to do whatever ittook to accomplish his goals. With the frigid cold andwailing wind biting at his back, Armstrong said,"No, I'm going on."

Hopping back on his bike he rode for seven morehours, in that storm.....alone. Lance was determined,determined to win ......and win the three week, 2,290mile Tour de France bicycle race he did!

He won because he was willing to do absolutely anything,including riding in weather conditions when no oneelse would ride.

Growing up his mother Linda taught Lance a mostvaluable lesson he never forgot: "Son, you never quit."That lesson was to prove invaluable to Armstrongin 1996.

After winning the Tour Dupont and competing in theOlympics, Lance became ill and was diagnosed withtesticular cancer. At one point, his doctors gave himchances of surviving at less than 50%.

Undergoing chemotherapy and even a very risky brainsurgery to remove cancerous lesions, Armstrongbecame physically weak, but managed to stay mentallystrong.

He began to set goals of having his blood counts beingat levels doctors told him they should be. Lancewould actually visualize his counts meeting the doctorshoped for marks. He says, "I would concentrate onthat number, as if I could make the counts by mentallywilling it."

Between his efforts and the excellent care of hisphysicians, it worked. Lance Armstrong was soondeclared cancer free!

Racing didn't come easy for him either. His first racein 1992, Lance finished dead last - 111th out of 111riders. In fact as he was pedaling up the last stretchof the race, the crowds jeered and laughed at himcalling him name after name.

Armstrong really thought about giving up the sport,but then his mother's words flashed through his mind- never quit!

One year later Armstrong became the youngest athleteto ever win the World Race Championship held inOslo, Norway.

Soon after his Tour de France win in 1999, criticsaccused him of taking performance enhancing drugs.But Lance proved that wasn't the case by testing cleanover and over.

His response to the critics: "Everybody wants to knowwhat I'm on. What am I on? I'm on my bike busting myrear six hours a day!"

Lance Armstrong is a firm believer in setting goals.Big long term goals and small short term goals. Hedoesn't believe in luck or any of the traditional successacronyms; he does believe in hard work to accomplishwhat he wants to do and in never, ever giving up orgiving in until those goals are met.

Dave Cole
ChooseToProsper
Copyright 2004

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