But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands.When Nikolay Avilov of the USSR set a world record of 8,454 points in the decathlon at the 1972 Olympics, Bruce Jenner watched his medal ceremony.
—1 Kings 8:61
He has said, "I had what you might call a life-altering experience. I saw myself standing on that victory platform at the 1976 Olympic Games. Suddenly, I knew if I could do the work, I could win the Gold."
Jenner returned to his dorm room about 11 p.m. that night, but he couldn't sleep. The thought kept coming to him, "If you're going to dedicate every second to winning the decathlon, what are you doing wasting your time in bed?" So he got up and went for a jog.
For the next four years, Jenner gave himself completely to his goal. Every decision he made was weighed against the question, "Will it increase my chances for winning the gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games?"
For Jenner, this wasn't a business decision. He was strictly an amateur—one man going up against history in a contest that generally earned its winner the title of World's Greatest Athlete.
In 1976, his moment came! He not only won the Gold, but set a new world record—8,634 points.
Are you fully committed to realizing your dreams? Make every decision based upon that commitment.
Excerpt permission granted by Honor Books, Inc.