I have had a strategy almost my entire short life.
Not exactly a strategy, it's just my nature.
Anyway...

When I started swimming, I didn't mind it.
But, I started getting better.
Sets got more difficult, coaches started getting on my ass more about making them.
And I got lazy.

I actually sort of dreaded swimmming, for over a year. But I kept with it.
I keep with everything. For years. I put so much mind numbing time into deciding whether or not to abandon it.
I have tried to NEVER make hasty decisions. I think in the long term.

For over a year, I hated swimming. I hated meets, I hated my coaches.
But I stuck with it.

And now, 3 years later, I'm SO glad I did. Swimming is the jewel of my day, I LOOK FORWARD to that two hour period of intense physical labor every day. It is the thing that gives my life more purpose than ANYTHING I have ever done before.
I would have regretted it forever had I ever quit.
Even when I came out to the swim team, I pushed through, and now my relations with them are better than ever.

I didn't make the champs time I've been devoting the last two months to. I ADDED time.
So what?
You have to be stubborn. You get knocked down, you get back up.
I'm not particularly talented, or old, or otherwise naturally endowed in the pool.
I have to fight for every inch of speed I can get.

The only way for me to win is to be the stubbornest, craziest asshole in the whole pool.
And it works.

This was mostly for Tophat, as he has apparently decided to give up people. I hope he has thought of the long term.
I have remained Shelby's friend, even after her breakup, when, for a month or two, frankly, being her friend was NOT that easy...
Because I remembered the good times we'd had together before, and knew that these times shouldn't last forever.
And she's gotten better, although she still has things to work out.

Even if you DO decide to give up things, don't do so forever! Go back and try them later.

One 18 year old on my team told me that almost every single swimmer has given up on swimming by the time they hit 18.
I have to be a stuborn little bitch, and rough it out. Then, by default, I shall always win.

To get ahead in life, you have to be stubborn.