Don't Play the Blame Game

The lessons learned from our mistakes or the bad breaks that come our way can leave solid impressions upon which we build character. We can learn from each setback, even if it occurred as a result of a freak accident. I went from being the best in the world to being on crutches and sidelined for six months. Here I was with a torn ligament, off the snow just when I was beginning to enjoy great results, and the Olympics were less than two years away. Instead of staring at my ankle, I looked inward. The skier, the Olympian inside, hadn't changed. Only my circumstances had. It would do me no good wasting valuable energy on self-pity.

I remembered my reaction to the events on the Olympic track in 1984 when American Mary Decker fell during the women's 3,000-meter run against Zola Budd from South Africa. To me, it appeared that Decker blamed Budd for the tragedy. Watching her cast blame, almost implying the girl did it intentionally, I wondered how much psychological damage was being done to Mary's running career by her negative stance. I'm happy that Mary eventually returned to top form, but I think she must regret the time wasted on her indulgent self-pity. Sometimes, it's just bad luck.

Dwelling on a bad incident only promotes negative thoughts. Instead, try filling that void with something inspiring. Push yourself into the future. Do something you really enjoy to get on a positive plane: play golf, read a book, go for a hike. Do anything you can to get yourself back on track.

I came back from the second injury healthy, strong, and upbeat. I went on to compete at the World Championships in 1989, even though I was already looking for other mountains to climb. One day my dad asked, "Are you having fun? Because if you're not, get out of it. There are too many other things to do in life." I chose to retire from ski racing that spring.

The lessons I learned competing on the Alpine World Circuit are invaluable. I achieved a level of recognition, not because of an Olympic medal, but through my perseverance and character. I now understand how important it is to stay positive when faced with adversity.

-- Pam Fletcher

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