“I did not have a smooth journey to the top. I made plenty of mistakes- but I always learned from them.”

Jason Lezak, eight-time Olympic medalist and owner of the fastest 100M free relay split of all-time, spent a day at SwimLabs Highlands Ranch on May 31. Lezak spoke to swimmers, parents and coaches about his unique journey before offering critique and feedback to swimmers and recording for the video library.

As athletes, we hear the word goal all the time. It’s in our coaches’ speeches, our parents’ pep talks and it even lurks in our own minds. Goal is thrown around so much that the powerful meaning behind the word sometimes gets lost. It’s defined as the object of a person’s ambition and the desired results. It’s not only where you want to be but how you will actually get there. So how does a goal become more than a just a word but a part of everything we do?