Written By: Emmanuel Lanzo
The opposite of this is indolence and apathy. Whatever determination it is, give yourself to it with heart, without excuses or detours. There is no way to succeed without dedicating yourself.
To dedicate yourself is to be active, committed to yourself, and infected by the desire for activity. Having good intentions is not enough. Your project has to have a lot of "exciting".
How far are you willing to go? Achieve something all at once and in one go? Impossible. If you really want something, persevere. If some strategies don't work, try others. Don't be afraid of the effort. You have to be willing to "further", "harder", "earlier", "faster", "up the pace".
In the Latinx World, when you ask, "como has estado, como vas? (how are you doing, how are you?" people that are “willing” always answers “en la lucha”, that means "in the fight, always fighting". My friend Mary always says “no es el tamaño del perro, es la furia del ataque” (is not the size of the dog, is the fury of the attack”. Enthusiasm with your determination can make the difference between success and failure.
Dedicated to several projects at the same time? Set priorities. Postponing the dedication will mean weakening your will. Do you want to reach something? you have to sacrifice “taste” and hobbies.
First the obligation, and then the pleasure. Consider pleasure as a reward, as a means of regaining strength. I am not recommending that you become a monk, but give priority to the tasks that you set for yourself. Your greatest reward will be satisfaction. It is a question of calculation; enjoy less now, to enjoy more later.
Demosthenes in his adolescence was a stutterer. To learn to speak normally, he went to the side of the river, put small stones in his mouth, and practiced careful vocalization. He ended up being the highest example of Greek oratory. To succeed, you have to be willing to do things you don't like.
William James, one of the most influential philosophers of the United States, and the "Father of American psychology said that we only use a third of the amount of energy we possess. You have certainly achieved some results without having deployed a great deal of effort.
When the body gets tired, the soul doesn't give up. I dream of doing my task. I don't know where I'll get it. But, if God gives me energy, I will use it for the good.
Dedicate yourself to "Be the one who removes the stone from the road"-Gabriela Mistral
Coach Emmanuel is going into his eighth year with RAC. He is Olympic Swimmer Kieran Smith's development coach. Kieran has been named 2019-2021 part of the USA National Team. During the 2021 Olympic Trials, Kieran Smith made the Olympic Team represent the USA in the 200, 400, and 4x200 free relay, winning a Bronze Medal. Coach Emmanuel Lanzo has been coaching since 1997. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, and his master’s degree in Physical Education with Specialization in Sport Coaching at the University of Turabo. Emmanuel is an ASCA Level 4 Swimming Coach and Certified Stroke Technician, International Olympic Committee Level 2 Swimming Coach, AAALF Adapted Aquatics Instructor, ATI-CPT, TRX Certified Group Trainer, and Cross-train Group Trainer at Results Ridgefield and Ridgefield Parks and Recreation. He is the founder and CEO of the non-profit ToxiKHeaD brand, which provides personal training for elite athletes in Puerto Rico and the USA. Professionally, he volunteered for the Eastern Zone Diversity and Inclusion Camp at the University of Maryland. In 2018, Coach E was also chosen to be the Head Coach of the USA Swimming Diversity Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. Also, under his coaching, two swimmers achieved the World Top 100 list, and three swimmers (Kieran Smith, AJ Bornstein, and Connor Hunt) represented the USA in three different International venues: Mare Nostrum Series in Europe, Junior Pan Pacific Championship in Fiji and Junior Open Water World Championship in Eilat, Israel. In 2017, Emmanuel was part of the USA National Junior Team Staff for the FINA Junior Worlds Championship, coaching Kieran Smith to achieve a silver medal in the 200 Individual Medley. The American Swim Coaches Association named Coach Emmanuel a 2015 Coach of Excellence. As a coach, his philosophy is to be able to effectively teach, both fundamental and advanced skills, with a holistic approach, helping each swimmer to achieve their planned goals while having fun!