Watching professional athletes is always so inspiring for me. Their single-minded pursuit of attaining greatness, their complete dedication to their craft: I want that hunger, I want that drive.

I remember asking my friend Kay, what could be better than working so hard at something to achieve the singular goal of being the best? It was a rhetorical question on my part, but she replied with ambivalence, saying that she’s not sure if she would want that kind of life. It would be intense, extreme. It would be a life of sacrifices. I’ve always wanted to sacrifice myself for something.