When you face adversity, don't flinch

​I've watched Cole Hocker's 1500 meter Olympic run to gold a couple of dozens times now. But it's not the finish line or his joyous celebration just beyond that or the podium scene I'm fixated on. It's something that took place 50 meters before the finish line I can't stop watching.

With the finish line rapidly approaching, a competitor ducked in front of Hocker. There may have even been a slight shove there, and the competitor began to motor away.

Hocker's response?

I'm not sure the dude even blinked. I know he didn't flinch. His concentration and determination were totally uninterrupted. He lost a little momentum in the brush-up, for sure, but his eyes didn't move even a centimeter from the target.

I always say, I'm not much interested in the finish lines people are crossing, but rather, I want to know how the heck they got there.

I want to know what they faced without flinching.

If you tell Hocker's epic upset story as the story of a man who ran 3 seconds faster than he'd ever run the event to win an unexpected gold medal for his country, you're telling A story, but in my opinion, not THE story.

THE story is when push came to shove, literally, Hocker refused to be shoved out of the path that was leading to a dream come true.

If you're a dreamer who is chasing a dream, like me, that's an important story to know. Memorize it. Because many dreams don't get realized not because we can't turn in our best effort ever, but because someone cuts us off in traffic and we throw a tantrum and quit driving.

The difference between dream crushed and dream realized is often found in the flinch. In those who do and those who don't.

Someone will cut you off today. It's coming. Whether on I-95 or in the gym or in a relationship.

Don't flinch.

You have somewhere to be, something you long to have or to achieve, and it's possible you won't ever get there, but don't let flinching be the reason you don't.

There is magic at the finish line. But the real magic often happens long before you get there.