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I think the other part of it is that even if you can be the best at something, there's an enormous opportunity cost to that. We look up to Olympians, but it's t

I think the other part of it is that even if you can be the best at something, there's an enormous opportunity cost to that. We look up to Olympians, but it's tough to fully grasp the amount of sacrifice it takes to win an Olympic gold. You're not going to have a normal social life or other hobbies - you're just doing your sport (or related practice) for as many hours a day as you can without sustaining injuries that would impact your ability to train more. Same thing with the best musicians, lawyers, researchers and a whole lot of other professions, particularly those that we hold in high esteem - there are a lot of people who want to be at the top, and you can't stop to take a break because plenty of those people will be working more while you rest. I'd rather be good at a bunch of different things and have enough free time to read a book or play videogames on the weekends than be extraordinary at one thing.

oneoff786 4y ago
I think this is wrong. The olympians aren’t clearly working harder than other people who are trying hard but not naturally talented or well endowed. They are working hard, but many people are for far less impressive feats.
- awillen 4y ago
  Olympians are a combination of both - they have the natural talents/endowment, but they also put in the maximum amount of work. Michael Phelps has an enormous wingspan, but he also trained 5-6 hours a day. If he dropped that to 3 hours a day, he would lose to someone with a slightly smaller (but still well above average) wingspan who's training 5-6 hours a day.
  - badpun 4y ago
    > Michael Phelps has an enormous wingspan, but he also trained 5-6 hours a day Whereas a postman or police officer work 8 hours a day...
    - RadiozRadioz 4y ago
      And I'm sure Michael Phelps couldn't deliver mail as well as those postmen. Leaving aside the obvious physical differences between working as a cop and olympics training, what point are you making exactly?
    - TeMPOraL 4y ago
      They are working 8 hours a day, not training 8 hours a day.
      - badpun 4y ago
        There's one Belgium (IIRC) football team member in the world cup who, before going pro, worked as a mailman. His comment about that is that people don't realise how hard mailmen have to work. I suspect his life at the top of the most competetive sport is much easier.
    - idontpost 4y ago
  - confidantlake 4y ago
    I practiced with a state swimming champion. We practiced same number of hours as Phelps. There was no way I would ever get to his level and there was no way he would ever get to Phelps's level. There are tons of people putting in the work for sports and very few Olympians.

oneoff786 4y ago

I think this is wrong. The olympians aren’t clearly working harder than other people who are trying hard but not naturally talented or well endowed. They are working hard, but many people are for far less impressive feats.

awillen 4y ago
Olympians are a combination of both - they have the natural talents/endowment, but they also put in the maximum amount of work. Michael Phelps has an enormous wingspan, but he also trained 5-6 hours a day. If he dropped that to 3 hours a day, he would lose to someone with a slightly smaller (but still well above average) wingspan who's training 5-6 hours a day.
- badpun 4y ago
  > Michael Phelps has an enormous wingspan, but he also trained 5-6 hours a day Whereas a postman or police officer work 8 hours a day...
  - RadiozRadioz 4y ago
    And I'm sure Michael Phelps couldn't deliver mail as well as those postmen. Leaving aside the obvious physical differences between working as a cop and olympics training, what point are you making exactly?
  - TeMPOraL 4y ago
    They are working 8 hours a day, not training 8 hours a day.
    - badpun 4y ago
      There's one Belgium (IIRC) football team member in the world cup who, before going pro, worked as a mailman. His comment about that is that people don't realise how hard mailmen have to work. I suspect his life at the top of the most competetive sport is much easier.
  - idontpost 4y ago
- confidantlake 4y ago
  I practiced with a state swimming champion. We practiced same number of hours as Phelps. There was no way I would ever get to his level and there was no way he would ever get to Phelps's level. There are tons of people putting in the work for sports and very few Olympians.