I have to say - I know I am quite often an emotional wreck - full of vendettas and weird bizarre emotional baggage, but figure skating has taught me a lot - which becomes super apparent when I compare how non-ice skaters approach success and failure trials and tribulations versus non-skaters.
For example - in ice skating we have a saying that is "one element at a time" - meaning - if you fall on your triple lutz triple toe - you have to forget about it and concentrate on the next element of your program. This is true of life - you mess up once - you can't let it mess up the rest of your day/week/year/ etc... Additionally - you can't get too excited over any one jump - start celebrating and then mess up the next one because you are basking in the glory of your beautiful triple axel. Keep going - one element at a time - execute each individual element to the best of your ability. As with elite ice skaters, sometimes I am better at achieving this than others - but it's always a good goal to strive towards.
Another thing is - each season - each competition - each program segment - is a new opportunity. Take Miki Ando - in 2006 she was awful and fat and had a heinous costume. The next season she worked her butt off (literally AND metaphorically) and became world champion. Pretty awesome! She didn't give up - she got to work! So - alright - one audition season sucked - one year no one is hiring new directors or A.D.s - but this is a new season! Who knows what can happen. Just do the work.
Accept defeat gracefully and treat your competitors with respect. How classy was Sasha - hugging everyone who beat her - how classy was Michelle Kwan when she said "I didn't lose the gold - I won the silver" - of course - there was that whole Tonya Harding incident - but we'll choose to overlook that. One day your competitors may be your team mates - you may tour with them with Stars on Ice - and let's face it - they are who truly push you to be the best that you can be - if someone has a quad toe - well - you're gonna do everything in your power to get a quad toe AND a quad flip! Then they'll go for a quad lutz - then you'll do for a quad axel - and so on and so forth. Without them - you'd just sit on your sofa and eat bagel bits all day...they are also the people who understand what you go through on a daily basis - they are your peers and can be your best friends - so - treat them well - honor their successes and use it to work harder so you can beat them next season!:) Then tour with them on stars on ice for the rest of your skating days laughing on tour bus all the way! lol!
Also - the game isn't over until the fat lady sings - and ice is slippery. Sure Kim Yu-Na seems unbeatable - but on any given Sunday anything can happen - so you have to play the gave - and don't give into defeat - go to the auditions - go to the trials - go take your algebra test - go program your computer games - give it everything you got - and who knows - the judges may just award you a gold medal!
And a healthy optimistic attitude never hurt anyone!:)
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