It's definitely not a decision I'd recommend for everyone. It all depends on what your "actual life goals" are as you mentioned. For me, I knew that gymnastics

It's definitely not a decision I'd recommend for everyone. It all depends on what your "actual life goals" are as you mentioned. For me, I knew that gymnastics was only something I could do for a short time in my youth and I wanted to go as far as possible with it. I had made the Junior National team at one point and competed in several USA Championships against all the big guys. I wanted do to whatever it took to succeed. In terms of impressing people - that's never been a goal. I was greatly ridiculed as a kid for being a gymnast and even as it got a little more "cool" in high school and college, its got nothing on football or basketball. I did this for me - and for the coaches, teammmates and alumni at Stanford Gymnastics who were so dedicated to earning a victory. It's the fact that we won as a team that means the most to me. I would not be nearly as proud of an individual win.