Dream On: Five lessons from 64-year-old Diana Nyad’s swimming accomplishment

Diana Nyad told the crowd to “never give up” after she finished her historic 110-mile swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida, Monday, September 2, 2013. (Getty Images)

She accomplished something at the age of 64, something she couldn’t do at the age of 28 – swim from Cuba to Florida, which is more than 111 miles, in 53 hours, 54 minutes and 18.6 seconds. Mind you, the waters en route are infested by jellyfish and sharks.

At the end of it she had three things to say about her glorious feat:

“One, we should never, ever give up. Two, you are never too old to chase your dreams. And three, swimming looks like a solitary sport, but it takes a team.”

For me as a sport psychologist, for someone else as a sport enthusiast or even as a human being, there is so much to learn from Diana Nyad.

Here are the top lessons from a sport psychologist’s perspective:

1. The old adage, “Try try till you succeed”

Diana’s swimming career is a perfect example of trying time and again till we are successful in our own eyes. As a sport enthusiast, I had never read about Diana until yesterday. But within 24 hours, whatever I read about her career as a swimmer, motivational speaker, sport journalist, I was awestruck.

She couldn’t swim after she was diagnosed with a heart ailment at the age of 17, when she was striving to get through to the Olympic team. In her long-distance swimming career, she has many records to her name, which still stand today.

Her first attempt to cover the path from Cuba to Florida was at the age of 28. She covered more than 76 miles in a shark cage but due to the wind direction, she was drifting away from the path towards Texas.

For her second attempt, she started training at the age of 60 in 2010. But due to poor weather conditions, she couldn’t compete then. Her third and fourth attempts in 2011 and 2012 were unsuccessful because of jellyfish stings.

The 2013 attempt was her fifth try but one which was successful. And she covered the whole path without a shark cage.

2. Take a leap of faith

Returning to a situation that has harmed you in the past is always scary. For Diana, jumping into the same waters, which harmed her (jellyfish stings) – and could harm her more (also shark infested) – was not easy. Yet she persisted and never gave in.

In fact, she swam without fins and shark cage but had a protective mask to prevent any jellyfish stings. It gave her difficulties but she said that the ‘emotional highs wiped out the physical problem’. She went on to add that one has to make the water your friend, but at the same time, one has to be careful as it can go to the other side anytime, without a hint of a warning.

You have to take a leap of faith and believe in your abilities, which will overpower all the adversities that continue to exist.

3. Music helps keep the focus

Diana mentioned she mentally sang “Paperback Writer” by The Beatles throughout her swim as the lyrics, “Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book? It took my years to write, will you take a look?” helped her stay focused.

4. You are the main support pillar for your goals

Diana has had many lows throughout her career, but has never given up. In her TED talk, she mentioned how each low in her life has been a learning curve.

As a young swimmer, she was also sexually abused by her coach, about which she openly spoken about in her later years. She has done everything possible – like being is a motivational speaker and writing for sport magazines – to keep support her dream.

This also helped her gather her support team, even at the age of 60. “You are never too late to achieve your dream”. Many anecdotal evidences as well as scientific studies have shown that such extreme marathon sports need the participants to have more mental determination than the physical energy of youth. Hence, self-belief and self-determination are key.

5. Take help, it is required at some point

After realising her dream, she said that swimming is not an individual event, it takes a team. She also thanked her crew publicly, even though she was extremely exhausted and had a swollen face because of the salty water after her swim.

She had a 35-member support team, which included a pulmonologist. This was because of an asthma attack that prevented her from participating two years ago.

It is difficult to believe what Diana Nyad achieved but we should all take inspiration from her amazing story.