Going for gold taught these Olympic athletes how to succeed in life

The Olympic Games are where the world’s best athletes compete for a coveted medal. To get there, some — like former US gymnast Carrie Englert Zimmerman — leave their friends and family, moving across the country to train for 10 hours a day for three years. Others, like bobsledder Steve Mesler, give up a decade of their lives to prepare and compete in three separate Olympics.

Even for those who don’t place, something valuable is gained in the process — the physical and mental fortitude to compete continuously, and repeatedly testing mental and physical limits without giving up. Consequently, many like these Olympians are successful in their post-Olympic careers.