Gemma Sampson · 40. What does success look like to you?

I am currently in Adelaide at Tour Down Under this week and was asked the question what does a successful athlete look like to me? Such a great question!

Typically when it comes to success, most peoples minds would go to performance, winning races, crossing the line first, winning the gold medal, rainbow jersey. However I think success goes much deeper beyond being the first to cross the line. For me, success is multifactorial and much more holistic.

The first picture that came to mind was one from the Australian National Championships a couple of weeks ago where after years of coming fourth place, Ruby Roseman Gannon won right to wear the green and gold jersey. But it wasn't just her celebrating that struck me, it was her team mate in the background with her arm in celebration that grabbed my attention.

Because although one person may get the glory of first place, cycling like many other sports and aspects of life is actually a team sport where there are many players in the background supporting and working tirelessly for a particular purpose or cause. Some professional athletes have never won a race, but they are highly successful and valued for their position, their role and what they bring to to the team.

Which is why I believe success goes so much further beyond winning and starts with your purpose and your why. What motivates and drives you to do the things you do?

What does a successful athlete look like?

Beyond winning - obviously seeing progress towards your goals helps with motivation
Purpose and WHY?
Teamwork and sacrifice
Pride seeing it come together and knowing you did your best
Consistency over perfection
Never giving up
Having an impact on the world
Inspiring others to do things they never thought possible

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I've loved hearing the stories being shared this week about current athletes who have overcome challenges and carried on. And how they can encourage and motivate future athletes to try something new especially in the female cycling arena getting more women and girls out on bikes.

The number of times I have heard conversations or - for example Amanda Spratt one of the commentators was talking about how his daughter had seen Amanda Spratt racing nationals one year, she had been dropped, then she got back on, she got dropped, got back on, she got dropped and got back on. She didn't win that particular race, but her tenacity and her drive and unrelenting never give up attitude has touched and inspired. So she has this phrase to 'be amanda spratt' any time theres a moment where she might be tempted to give up - to keep going.

I think having this deep grounding in why what we do is important to us is important to keep moving towards it - even if there isn't any guarantees of success. For me, it's helping to change the culture of eating is cheating in cycling to fuelling for performance, and seeing how one person changing influences another. It might be the kids seeing their dad eating vegetables and also starting to eat more vegetables instead of pushing them off the plate. Or the friend on the bike ride noticing you have so much more energy at the end of the rides when you fuel your ride and being open to try something new.

We never know who we might influence in our life, what impact our choices our actions might have on others and to me, that all comes under my definition of success.

So what does success look like to you? I posed the question on instagram yesterday and a couple people shared their thoughts.

Lorna said it was doing things I never thought possible

Sophie said when the hard work pays off.

I resonated with these thoughts and I hope you have found them encouraging also when you consider your goals, your progress, actions and results in life, on and off the bike.

That's all for today. Like subscribe fuel your ride and I will see you next time!

Gemma