photo by Jeff Farsai

It’s a dream that anyone who has ever fallen in love with a sport has most likely contemplated at one point or another. For some athletes, representing their country at the Games is a measure of knowing they’ve made it. Olympic silver medalist and Fashion Island ambassador Jaime Komer, talks about life after the Olympics – a life she hadn’t ever planned for.

dreaming the dream

I competed in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and earned a silver medal with the USA Women's water polo team. Achieving something like this was a "hmm, imagine if..." question ever since I fell in love with the sport. My passion for water polo pushed me beyond my perceived limits, introduced me to some of the most inspiring individuals I've ever met, took me on adventures around the globe and allowed me to truly understand the concept of “I can and I will.”

The idea of setting audacious and slightly (or very!) intimidating goals is what got me where I am today. I attribute much of my success to the daily, monthly and yearly goals I set pre-Olympics. Breaking down the work I knew I had to do into goals, helped me through the tough journey I knew was ahead.

to the olympics and beyond

Oddly enough, the hardest part was actually after the games. Here’s the thing, when you’re training for the Olympics you dedicate your whole life to the sport. You’ve got your sights set on making one goal happen and everything else (and everyone else) gets put on hold. (This is the part where I thank my husband and family for their understanding while I continually missed birthdays, anniversaries and, almost, my own brother's wedding!). The last thing on your mind is, "Soooo, what am I going to do with myself after this?"

the dream after the olympic one

I've heard many stories about athletes experiencing post-Olympic depression once they stop competing in their respective sport. It’s all you know for the longest time and in a way, it has defined you as a person. It can be difficult to move on and dare to open yourself up to a new dream.  How will anything top the act of going to the Olympic Games? Some will say that nothing can.

I am excited to say I am taking a different perspective. I realized that creating big ol' freakishly awesome (yet thoroughly audacious) goals didn’t have to stop there. Have I given everything I can to the world, my community, my family, my legacy? Certainly not! It wasn’t until I could cross off my Olympic goals that I could start to realize what else was out there for me and a world of possibility opened up.

Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or a seasoned goal setter, the feeling of “what’s next?” is a familiar and sometimes scary one. Ever had your sights set on one thing for so long, you didn’t know what to do after?

Name: Audrey
BHAG: I run my second marathon in sub 4:30 in 2011.

what is a bhag?

A BHAG (pronounced "bee-hag") is a big, hairy, audacious goal!

why share your bhag?

The more you share your goals, the more likely it is you will achieve them. For the month of June we will be sharing a BHAG every day on lululemon.com. Want to share your BHAG with the world? Send your high-res photo to blogs@lululemon.com and we'll publish a few of our favourites here on the lululemon blog.

Name: Ashleigh
BHAG: By 2015 I will have 3 paintings showcased at White Walls Gallery (SF).

what is a bhag?

A BHAG (pronounced "bee-hag") is a big, hairy, audacious goal!

why share your bhag?

The more you share your goals, the more likely it is you will achieve them. For the month of June we will be sharing a BHAG every day on lululemon.com. Want to share your BHAG with the world? Send your high-res photo to blogs@lululemon.com and we'll publish a few of our favourites here on the lululemon blog.

Name: Shannon
BHAG: I compete and complete my first half ironman triathlon (1.2 mile swim. 56 mile bike. 13.1 mile run) in Hawaii by June 5, 2010.

[Editor's note: Shannon is an educator from our Pearl District store in Portland, Oregon. Good luck Shannon and all other Ironman partipants, including our head of recruiting at lululemon, Steph!!]

update from shannon!

I went out strong for a good swim, 50 min for 1.2 mile, but I kicked a lot (which I found out fatigued my legs by the run). I had a great bike, passing all those people who came out of the water before me. My average pace was just under 17mph. I finished the 56 mile bike ride in 3 hours 27 min (a new record for me).

Then the dreaded run. I started the run extra slow with a plan to "run" the entire 13.1 miles and to not burn out. By the 10k split I picked up my pace. My final time was just over 7 hours, not including transition times.

what is a bhag?

A BHAG (pronounced "bee-hag") is a big, hairy, audacious goal!

why share your bhag?

The more you share your goals, the more likely it is you will achieve them. For the month of June we will be sharing a BHAG every day on lululemon.com. Want to share your BHAG with the world? Send your high-res photo to blogs@lululemon.com and we'll publish a few of our favourites here on the lululemon blog.

At lululemon athletica, building dreams is what we are all about. We are constantly encouraged to set career, personal and health goals. We sit down with each other over coffee, set goals that are important to us and commit to putting them on paper.

Dreams don't build themselves!

Prior to working with lululemon athletica, I had my own field of dreams:

• 1983: I started visualizing that I would be a marine mammal trainer. I worked, trained and swam with marine mammals for 15 years. Check!

• 1989: I started visualizing that I would do an Ironman Triathlon. I am a 4x Ironman triathlete. Check!

• 2009: I started visualizing that I would go to Graduate School at the University of Texas-San Antonio and receive my Master's Degree in Kinesiology. I have just completed my first semester. Check!

• 2010: I started visualizing myself at the CrossFit Games in California.I will be going to the Regional CrossFit competition in Fort Worth, TX with the RiverCity CrossFit Team from San Antonio. Will I be able to check this off my field of dreams? I will let you know after May 30th!*

Jennifer wearing Run: Speed Shorts

What is your field of dreams?

* editor's note: Jennifer wrote this post before heading to the Regional CrossFit competition on May 29th. We have since followed up with her to check in after the event:
"We did not make it to the 2010 CrossFit Games in California in July. While I am a bit bummed about it, there is always next year and I learned so much about myself as a person and as an athlete - physically, mentally and spiritually!"

Name: Shawna

BHAG: I have been featured on lululemon.com in a sports bra by July 1st!

what is a bhag?

A BHAG (pronounced "bee-hag") is a big, hairy, audacious goal!

why share your bhag?

The more you share your goals, the more likely it is you will achieve them. For the month of June we will be sharing a BHAG every day on lululemon.com. Want to share your BHAG with the world? Send your high-res photo to blogs@lululemon.com and we'll publish a few of our favourites here on the lululemon blog.

share your goals

An important part of goal-setting is making your goals public by sharing them with those around you (or in Shari's case, our website visitors and email subscribers!). Something special happens when you make your goals public. Try it!

To learn how to create your own goals, get started at our goaltender website: goals.lululemon.com

What's on your "I will" list?