The Curse of Olympians

     One stumble at the Olympics cost American figure skater Debi Thomas the gold, but it’s her stumbles since then that have been more costly.
     Considered the best African American skater in history, Thomas carried home the bronze metal from Calgary thirty years ago. She also captured gold, silver, and bronze in World Championships. And all this while studying at Stanford University. Medical school followed for Thomas, then licensure as an orthopedic surgeon.
     Fast forward - Thomas has divorced twice, lost custody of her son, let her medical license expire, declared bankruptcy, and moved into a bug-infested trailer in the Appalachians. What happened?
     Olympian mentality, she says.
     Her commitment to perfection led to her being frustrated with the performance of medical coworkers. She couldn’t get along and never lasted more than a year at various institutions. She started her own practice, only to watch it tank. As for her skating medals, she told the Washington Post they’re stashed away in a box somewhere.
     So this week as I watch Olympic figure skaters with their flawless Salchows and Axels, I’m reminded that performance isn’t everything to snag a gold medal in life. It’s learning how to carry on when the spotlight turns off. How to live with imperfection in myself and others. How to be a team player.
     In a beautiful twist of history, Thomas, who lost her gold medal with a stumble, is now promoting the sale of gold as an economic hedge. She’s picking herself up, as we all need to when we stumble.
​     Lest we fall under the curse of the winners.