I didn't raise my daughter to become an Olympic champion, but she did. I raised her to handle failure.
I never set out to raise Olympic champion Gwen Jorgensen. I wanted to give my daughter the confidence to pursue her passions and change direction.
Gwen Jorgensen, the Olympic gold medalist in triathlon, did not have her father pursue a career so she could become an Olympic champion. The author explains that he raised his daughter, Gwen, to become a well-rounded, capable adult with the ability to handle failure. Swimming was Gwen's passion as a child, but her father insisted she also take violin lessons to teach discipline, perseverance, and ensemble contribution.
When Gwen's swimming career ended, she struggled with her identity and pursued other interests, eventually dropping out of college and starting a conventional career in accounting. Despite not initially planning for Gwen to be an Olympic champion, her father supported her through setbacks and encouraged her to explore new possibilities.
After hearing from USA Triathlon about triathlon opportunities, Gwen decided to pursue the sport full-time, reducing her work hours and securing sponsors. Within 18 months, she left her accounting job and three years later, she won Olympic gold in triathlon.
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