You want to be great? Accept defeat with graciousness, and victory with humility.

Oh Humility...where art thou in a sea of Hubris? 

​I've been watching the replays of the Olympics in Rio. I've seen the faces of victory. I watched tears streaming in defeat. I've seen flags of nations unfurled with pride and the eyes of athletes alight with joy. 

But I've seen the dark side too. A man given the honour and responsibility of office arrested for touting/scalping. That was the height of greed. Admired athletes caught lying and desecrating the hospitality of the host country - because they believed they could get away with it. The height of stupidity and disrespect. And the doping....man....need I say more?

And I've seen hubris in the form of athletes who feel they have let the country down because they didn't get the gold. What arrogance!

Granted, it's disappointing not to get the gold, you do the country proud getting the silver or the bronze. You placed in the top three. You didn't  not place. 

There are better athletes than you - those who had smiles and tears of joy getting silver or bronze. Because they know that when they come back they will do better. They know where they should improve. They take it with a thorough understanding of what their sport is and what it entails.

You want to be great? Accept defeat with graciousness, and victory with humility. A hard pill to swallow but it kills whatever hubris you have. Because that, my friend, is an infection you can ill afford to have.

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