Many times when we reach success, and we’re on top of that podium, in whatever walk of life it may be, we oftentimes feel as though we’ve learned it all, right? We feel like we’re on top of the world and the only thing left to do from here is to celebrate. Which we definitely should do! We need that time to celebrate our efforts, indulge in the rewards and take time to soak it all in. However, success is not a final destination.
It’s like John Wooden said: “It’s what you learn after you know it all, that counts.”
Why Success Can Be Harder to Learn From Than Failure
Possibly one of the most difficult principles that we can and learn from is success. We usually don’t look for ways to improve once we have reached success. But just as there are very valuable lessons to be learned when (not “if”) we fail, there are critical lessons to be learned when (not “if”) we succeed. That’s because success is not final—it should mark the beginning of reflection, not the end of growth.
When we experience success, we begin to see life in a new light. Each experience with success increases our awareness of the possibilities before us. As we experience one success and then another, our intentional view of success begins to tear down the walls of our own limitations as confidence, courage, compassion and character are strengthened and developed.
From Frustration to First Place: My Turning Point in 2004
As a 21 year old rookie athlete, ranked 19th in the world in the sport of skeleton, I knew that if I wanted to reach the podium, I would need a big change in my life. I had failed over and over again and wondered if I could ever climb out of the valley of despair. Frustration and exhaustion pushed me to the brink of giving up the sport altogether.
Instead, however, I decided to go all in.
The Hidden Power of Purpose-Driven Performance
The summer of 2004 was a major turning point in my life. I chose to intentionally schedule time to shift from good to great as I implemented success principles into my everyday life. This decision was life-changing. I made it a priority to adjust my mindset, define my purpose, clarify my values, emphasize my strengths, strengthen synergistic relations, anticipate my reaction to potential failure, dream big, take action daily, choose discipline in all things and consistently stick to the habits that I knew could help me create success. I constantly reflected back on how I was doing and how I could improve. Although these changes took time and diligent effort, I was finally becoming the person that I wanted to become.
Letting Go of Comparison, Embracing Purpose
As the following season began and our world cup team showed up to the first race of the season in Winterberg, Germany, coaches and athletes were anxiously scouting out the competition. This was the season before the Olympic year which brings a heightened awareness to how the athletes are performing, what equipment they are using and who will be the favorites for the Olympic medals the following year.
In previous seasons, I was painfully aware of other competitors. Their strengths and skills seemed to blind my own abilities. However, this season was much different. The principles that I had worked on and applied in my life over the past few months, strengthened my mindset significantly to the point where all I could see in competition was where I wanted to go. Defining my purpose allowed me to let go of all the “shoulds” in my life. “You should train harder.” “You should act like them.” “You should be better than this.” Instead of focusing on the “shoulds”, I was focused on the smallest details that I could control and the process that could lead me to results.
Discipline, Not Comparison, Creates Consistency
As competitors drove their sleds in and out of corners that day and crossed the finish line one by one, it seemed clear who the top athletes would be this season. The best athletes always go first and the top positions were consistent with the winners from the previous season.
The camera crews from the top of the track had made their way down to the bottom of the track. That’s where they interviewed the athletes still ranked in the top six. They were celebrating their victories as the lower ranked athletes took their places in the back of the rankings. I closely watched the cameras and craved fame and glory. This season was much different. I was focused on one thing: my purpose. I wanted to see how fast I could get down the track. The only way I could do that on that day was by improving corners 1, 4 and 9.
As one of the final competitors of the race, it was my now my turn. My coach was with me at the top of the track. He placed my sled on the ice as the green light signified that it was now my turn to go. I sprinted as fast as I could, drove my sled exactly how I wanted in corners 1, 4 and 9 and flew past the finish line. There was commotion and noise as I came to a stop. Suddenly, the cameras turned toward me and reporters shouted questions. I didn’t know what had just happened. Then I looked up at the scoreboard and saw a number 1 next to my name.
Now THAT was a successful day.
Success Is Not Final—Daily Discipline Makes It Last
As I looked back on that success in the days that followed, I realized that the World Cup gold medal around my neck was a secondary success. Don’t get me wrong. I was really grateful to have earned the medal, but that wasn’t how I had defined success for myself.
It was successful to me because I had held tightly to the principles that kept me in check. It was successful, because when I was tempted to compare myself to the other athletes during our crowded warm-ups, I chose discipline and searched for a quiet spot away from distractions. Additionally, It was a success to me because instead of getting upset when one of my competitors sat in the spot I had been sitting in all week, and then smiled smugly as they pointed to their new spot, I shrugged it off and saw it as an opportunity to find a better place to sit.
I was in control of me. I learned that I cannot control other people’s behavior, the weather outside or the outcome of the race, but I can control myself and it made all the difference in the world. Success is not final. The process for reaching that World Cup win created a launchpad for future success.
Success Is a Launchpad, Not a Finish Line
I learned a great deal from the successful outcome of the race. I never could have imagined the power that would enter my mind with that first win. As I stood at the top of the world cup podium for the first time in my life, it was like transforming from a caterpillar into a butterfly: I never wanted to go back. That single success ignited a fire within me and the windows of opportunity didn’t just open, they were shattered and would never close again.
That moment reminded me that success is not final and allowed me to get out of my own way. It would continue to motivate me to stack future successes in the months and years to come. That season, I went on to win again and again. I became the first American female skeleton athlete to win the overall world cup title. I finished the season ranked first in the world heading into the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino, Italy.
Real success comes from choosing purpose over pressure, discipline over distraction and courage over comparison. Standing on the podium, with a huge smile on my face, wasn’t just about winning the race, it was about winning the daily battles within.
Quote to Ponder
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” -Winston Churchill
Question to Consider
What is a recent success that you have experienced in your life and what have you learned from it?
Building on Success: More Stories and Insights
Self-Discipline: The Quiet Power Behind Every Success: Discover how self-discipline—not motivation—is the key to lasting success, with practical steps to live a “no excuses” life.
Real Growth Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone: Stuck, afraid, and unsure? Growth happens outside your comfort zone—just ask the little robin who found the courage to fly.