The Future Olympian

Hi Scott,
 
I’m a 19-year-old athlete training for a qualification spot in the LA 2028 Olympics. Since finishing school, I’ve been working a full-time job to pay for all the training, competitions, overseas travel and extra expenses that come with being an athlete. Recently, I’ve been getting frustrated with the numbers. I can always just pay for all the expenses, but I never seem to get anywhere financially. The tough call is that any extra time I choose to work means less time for training, and vice versa. I’d love to eventually start saving for a house or maybe uni. Any advice? 
 
Kayla
 
Hi Kayla
 
Do you know how rare it is to have a single, driving goal that gets you out of bed each morning?
 
That’s gold (or silver, bronze or, heck, just the absolute honour of competing for your country)!
 
What I like about where you’re currently at is that it’s finite: you either get there in 2028 or you don’t, and you move on with your life.
 
Look, life isn’t about accumulating as much money as possible, it’s about creating memories. And you’re currently working on something that, when you’re sitting in an aged care facility in sixty years’ time, will be one of your most cherished memories.
 
The main thing to focus on is not going backward financially. As long as you can keep your head above water, you should go all in for the next four years. Then, if you apply the same steely dedication to your post-athletic career, education and financial situation, you’ll have nothing to worry about.
 
Follow your dream.

Scott.