Run Faster, Jump Higher

Tonight (at least 'tonight' in Eastern Standard time in the the US), McKayla Maroney slipped on her second vault, and surrendered the gold medal to the Romanian competitor.  She was expected to win the Gold, and her distress and disappointment were obvious as the cameras zoomed in on her.  As someone who is neither athletic nor coordinated, I am in awe of all the Olympians, and I find it sad that a young woman would be so disappointed after winning a silver medal in a very competitive and difficult sport.  She was, I might add, no where near as gracious as Oscar Pistorius, the South African runner with the double leg prostheses who finished last in the 400 meter semi-finals.


Maroney reminded me that years ago, I published a short piece in the American Journal of Psychiatry, an Introspection piece titled "Going for the Gold." If you can't get in to the site, try here. (It's short, I promise).  

I suppose we all are left with the question of how good is good enough?