It’s always been about winning, even back to the ancient Greeks. That’s why people trained for the Olympics, it’s why they traveled to compete in the Olympics, it’s why the spectators came to watch. Naturally, now, many centuries later, whenever the Olympics come around, we tend to place a big emphasis on winning and individual glory. We obsess over world records and historic performances. We track how many gold, silver, and bronze medals each country has won. We read and watch stories about the training regiment and sacrifices of the Olympians, who will do whatever it takes to get the gold.
But as the Stoics would remind us, it’s not winning that counts. That there is sometimes another plane of greatness that an athlete can win—by the injury they overcome to finish, by the political gesture they make on the medal stand, by the way they treat a competitor. We tell the story in Right Thing, Right Now of the Japanese equestrian Shunzo Kido in the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was competing in the 22.5-mile, 50-obstacle race that he didn’t normally run after a teammate was injured and had to drop out.
Improbably, with no proper training for himself or his horse, Kido was in the lead, clear of the pack after jumping over the second-to-last obstacle. But what Kido did next was even more improbable. He pulled up the reins and dropped out of the race. Out of nowhere, he gave up the chance of gold and glory for himself and his country.
Why?
He could feel the horse struggling and sensed that even just a few more seconds at full speed would kill the horse as it crossed the finish line. As the plaque on the Friendship Bridge along the Mount Rubidoux Trail commemorating his unprecedented display of sportsmanship reads, “Lt. Col. Shunzo Kido turned aside from the prize to save his horse. He heard the low voice of mercy, not the loud acclaim of glory.”
In a world that often glorifies winning at all costs, the story of Shunzo Kido reminds us of a deeper, more enduring value—the importance of compassion and integrity. The Stoics believed that how we treat others, especially those who cannot speak for themselves, reveals our true character. Chrysippus, an early Stoic who competed as a distance runner, would make this point about cheating: The competitive drive is what motivates an athlete, but to cheat, or to hurt an opponent in order to win is to miss the point. It’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of glory, but the real test lies in how we act when no one is watching, when the stakes are high, and when the choices are difficult.
In the end, the victory over one’s self, the triumph of one’s principles is what counts. The satisfaction of not only giving your best but being your best. Let this be the legacy we strive for—not just in sports, but in everything we do.
P.S. On a special Olympics episode of the Daily Stoic podcast, Ryan Holiday discussed what level of character and discipline is necessary to win the Olympic gold with:
- Bob Bowman, coach of France swimming superstar Leon Marchand and Michael Phelps’ former coach
- Dominique Dawes, member of the gold-medal-winning “Magnificent Seven” gymnast team, and recently featured in Netflix’s Simone Biles Rising
- George Raveling, assistant coach on not one but two medal-winning teams (USA Basketball is currently undefeated in the Paris games!)
We have another episode about using Stoic virtues to chase Olympic Gold coming this weekend. Make sure to subscribe to the Daily Stoic podcast so you don’t miss it! Or you can sign up for Wondery+ and listen today!
