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Mary Lou's Olympic vision motivated her to make two key decisions to reach her dream. First was the timing. Gymnasts usually reach their competitive peak at a rather young age. Mary Lou set her sights on competing in the 1984 Olympic Games.

Mary Lou's second important decision was to study gymnastics under Bela Karolyi, Nadia Comaneci's coach. That decision was very difficult for Mary Lou and her family because it would require her to move to Texas alone. Realizing that her Olympic vision demanded this sacrifice, Mary Lou toughed it out and went.

Mary Lou and Karolyi were quite a team. Mary Lou set very high standards for herself; Karolyi was a strict and demanding teacher. In addition to training hard, Mary Lou kept up with her schoolwork through correspondence.

Times of discouragement came and went. New levels of achievement didn't come without being earned. Mary Lou kept her vision of being an Olympian. It was the glue that held everything together.

Mary Lou made the 1984 United States Olympic Team, and she achieved Olympic glory. As she landed her final vault, a perfect "10", she knew she had won the gold medal in the all-around competition. Her hands went high in triumph, as her Olympic vision became a reality. Mary Lou was able to look back and realize that it all started with her dream and vision to be an Olympic gymnast.

In Mary Lou's words, "You've got to give your dream everything you've got. When it gives you so much, you have to give back the pride, inspiration, and enthusiasm to others."

The Olympic Spirit in YOU!
Like Olympic Champion Mary Lou Retton, chose a goal you have in mind. Perhaps you want to be a champion athlete, an extraordinary student, a photographer, an artist, a scientist, a computer programmer, a dancer, or a musician. Now visualize your goal in this way:

• Where are you when you visualize yourself achieving your goal?
• Who is there with you?
• Picture the place in your mind. What colors, smells, and sounds are present?
• See yourself achieving your goal from beginning to end.
• Can you see yourself doing or achieving your goal perfectly?
• Practice achieving your goal in your mind over and over.
• What does it feel like?
• Imagine winning, being praised, being thanked, or being recognized for the goal you achieved.

More Athletes

Ann Meyers Drysdale Bart Conner Billy Mills Baron Pierre de Coubertin Gail Devers Greg Barton Henry Marsh John Naber

Karch Kiraly Mary Lou Retton Matt Ghaffari Milt Campbell Nadia Comaneci Nancy Hogshead Paul Gonzales Terry Schroeder

For more great stories about Olympians, ask your librarian for books about Olympic spirit, including Awaken the Olympian Within complied by John Naber, and The Olympic Dream and Spirit, Vol. 1, 2, and 3, with Bob Schaller.