Work Ethic

“Don’t retreat from the front lines with a light injury.”

This is a Communist war slogan that’s used by Chinese athletes and coaches and seems they are living up to it….well, multiplied by about 15…

Pressured by the national athletic system and tempted by the commercial riches awaiting star performers in the 2008 Games, China’s athletes are pushing themselves to their limits and beyond, causing some to risk their health in pursuit of nationalist glory.

Now I’m sure we’ve all done things we weren’t supposed for the fun, or for school, or for anything really…that last shot that puts us over the edge of reason, the third piece of cake, the $600 pair of shoes on the credit card…wait, I guess none of those are really for nationalist glory…but you get the point, right?

Serious injury? Let’s see what that equates to in Chinese athlete terms – blindness, permanent ankle injuries, and, oh wait, death. The crazy thing is that coaches (and sometimes even the athletes) dismiss the pain and agony, saying they “had too much concern for their injuries.”

What do these athletes receive for their struggles? If they succeed it’s gold medals, national glory, money, recognition….not to mention that extra pressure they get for the NEXT go around. What if they don’t succeed? Well, they are shame to their country, naturally.

Think about this – the next time you procrastinate or don’t quite give it 110%…..remember the Chinese gold medal winning diver – Hu Jia – who could go blind with every dive he takes. Think about the fact that although he’s not even guaranteed a spot on this year’s team – his determination to succeed and work his way back from his injury was so strong that he decided to forgo anesthesia during eye surgery because he thought it would speed up his recovery.

As for me….I’m going to the beach.

50 Ways to Shame Your Country