Opting for gold shoes could have been considered downright cocky, but I was confident and never doubted my ability to deliver gold medals to match my shimmering footwear.

Don't shoot for something unattainable - completely outside of your nature or opportunity.

The only thing you can never change is your values.

Life is often compared to a marathon, but I think it is more like being a sprinter; long stretches of hard work punctuated by brief moments in which we are given the opportunity to perform at our best.

A good mentor offers directions and driving tips from the back seat. You still have to drive the car.

That first peak is the best place to pause and look back, to see if you took the easiest route, to learn the lessons from the first climb. And it is the best place to examine the terrain ahead, to change your plans and goals, to take a deep breath and begin climbing again.

I work hard to improve myself as a person - as a father, as a husband, as a manager. I'm always on that mission.