Why am I doing it...for self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.

You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep practicing, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.

The past three years my life is everything but secure. I passed through so many things, a lot went on in my life, my goals changed, I found new aims in life, then lost them again and others replaced them...I struglled through finding new motivation within me...I struggled through finding the drive within me that I used to have... what kept me going was the spark I once had...and occasionally I found something to light that spark and set the fire on...but did I start something that is gonna last a lifetime?

And when I am saying this I am particularly talking about sport and the self experience I have with it... After I stopped playing basketball, I was a lonely bird in crowded sky...I obviously did not look to fit anywhere... half an year after that I thought I found my "new sky" where I di dnot feel that lonely anymore...I started swimming. It wasn't the same as basketball but it kind of reminded me about the adrenaline and the feeling I used to have on the basketball court... so I sticked up with swimming for about 2years and a half...

All that time almost everybody asked me why I was practicing so hard when I obviously did not have the chance to do something great in swimming...it looked just like a waste of time to them... at times it used to hurt me when they kind of belittled my efforts...is it that important to have the chance to be the best in order to give the best? I think that people should try to reach their own limits and max potential no matter what that means- to be an olympic champion, to be able to run a whole mile without spitting your lungs out, to be able to take your groceries from the truck of the car to the kitchen table and etc.

So while I was swimming I found a new passion-called crossfit. And what I'd say about crossfit is -SIMPLY AMAZING! I think that is what I was missing the past couple years...it reminds me so much about basketball, it almost gives me the same pleasure. It is so diverse and dynamic. You can practice every single day and you won't need to repeat the same practice all over again. Iyt is like I am on the court. Every time you play a different game, you use a different move depending on the opponent you have, you could work on your shooting skills, dribbling drills, movements, running,jumping and so on.

So let me get back to where I was going... now they still ask me..."Why the hell are you practicing so hard?Can't you just stay still and live your life normally. Sport is just some stage of life, after that there comes a time when you leave it!"...how mediocre,don't you think so? What do they mean by "live life normally"? And who sets the standards of being normal? To me what I am doing looks completely normal, and what they are doing seems odd! But I gues sthat we are all different and we have different drives so I do not judje them for being salespeople,models, engineers and...

And that thing about "sport is a stage of life"....what in the world were you thinking when you said it? Yea after 40years I may not be able to grab the basketball rim, I won't be able to run a marathon, I won't be able to swim 3miles...but you know what? I will still be able to touch the basketball board, I will be able to run 5miles and swim a mile and a half... and I will still be involved in sports. Yes my results will be lower than what I can do now, but I will still try to reach my max potential for a 60year old lady!

So next time you ask me what is the reason to practice so hard when I am obviously not going to be an olympic champion...just keep in mind that I do it for pleasure. It just gives me pleasure and satisfaction to know I went out there, gave a hundred per cent and did my best. So instead of asking my why...just find the area in which you will feel the same drive that I feel and will give your best just because it makes you happy!