Some of the lessons I have learned as Ghana’s first skeleton Olympian have helped me thrive in all areas of my life. I feel a sense of responsibility towards my younger fans and the kids who look up to me. That’s why I’ll be discussing some of my biggest life lessons here so that everyone can benefit from them:

1. Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect

I know what you’re thinking, but yes, this is the lesson.

You might’ve heard or read that practice makes perfect, but as an Olympic-level athlete from Ghana, I can tell you that’s not true. Before I qualified for the Olympics and went on to become the Africa’s first Black male skeleton Olympian in history, I experienced several near-misses.

Each time, I was practicing with commitment and dedication, but that wasn’t enough. So now, I can confidently say that even though practice doesn’t make you perfect, it can make you better at what you’re doing.

2. Take the Opportunities That Present Themselves

At one point in my life, I had a dream of being a sprinter. I wanted to compete in the Olympics, win, and have a medal of my own. Though I managed to become a national champion in the 200-meter sprint, life had other plans for me.

From the high of a national win, I came down to the low of a severe ankle injury that took me out of commission. For three years, I couldn’t even think about running, and my dream of sprinting at the Olympics felt like it was slipping away.

Even though I started running again, it was a stroke of inspiration that led me to skeleton. After intense training and hard work, I finally succeeded in representing Ghana at the Olympics as a skeleton athlete.

Life may not work out the way you plan it, but remember to seize the opportunities it gives you.

3. Winning Isn’t Guaranteed

In sports and in life, there’s no guarantee that you’ll win.

Always remember that even though victory isn’t in your control, you still get to control how much effort you put into it. Between my record-breaking, gold medal-winning time as part of a college relay team, and participating in the Olympics as a skeleton athlete, I also came very close to being an Olympic bobsledder.

Despite my best efforts, I was unable to qualify for the Dutch bobsled team for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Even then, I refused to give up. Ultimately, this led me to skeleton, and today I’m working hard to prepare for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.