Ever since the drama of the 2008 Bejing Olympic Games, swimming, especially men’s has become one of the most popular events to watch.  You had a startling number of new world records, the unforgettable Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay, and of course Michael Phelps winning an unprecedented 8 gold medals.  Whether you knew all there was about elite swimming or didn’t know the first thing about pool lengths, you were hooked with a newfound respect for a sport that rarely never makes SportsCenter Top 10.

However, swimming came to a close along with the ending of the Bejing games, and despite it’s Subway-eating poster child, the fan base faded as well.  We went back to the second half of the MLB season and gearing up for the start of NFL camps so we could prep our fantasy league team.  Fast forward to this year’s Games, and, of course, the fandom returns with everyone in the country expecting the same results (go USA!).  Those swimmers fell far from our top priorities in a four year span and temporarily faded into obscurity.  What we forgot was that even though they weren’t at the center of everything, they kept working, and that’s why they are back four years later.

The fact is, people keep working–even when the lights go out.  Your goals don’t simply mystify into reality, they’re forced into it.  Whether you have a cheering section or are part of the unseen, you keep working.  After all, you never know when your “four years” will be.