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#7 FROM KANAL TO PARIS

PARIS 2024

“From Kanal to Paris” is the only proper title of this blog. I really wanted to post today’s text, but I had to wait for the right moment. Despite the fact that I already live in Paris, that my new job actually starts on Monday, that I met my new colleagues 10 days ago, that I am already diligently reading the “bible” of the Olympic Games 2024, that I walk daily to some world landmarks, I still sometimes don’t realize that this is my new reality. How quickly it all happened… now that I look back, it was a single round of applause. In reality, however, the matter took several months. Agony in my head.

Why Paris? Why the Olympics?

Rhetorical questions, right? Because Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, because I love it myself. Because Paris is the host of the 2024 Summer Olympics. Because the beach volleyball location is the most beautiful possible in the whole world (in my opinion).

Champ de Mars Eiffel Tower = Olympic games 2024 beach volleyball venue

Why Ines? Hmm, I still don’t understand that sometimes… how and when did the years turn around to get from my small, beautiful village to the world level… I often think about how immensely grateful I am for such a career, how humble I feel , a small dot in such a big world of sports. How happy and proud I am, not only that I can work at the highest volleyball level, but that I am really accepted and respected here. That people appreciate my knowledge, my competences, my experience. This feeling is not taken for granted.

How did I get this new job, position? Oh, btw, my new position is Senior Manager of Beach Volleyball Technical Organization in Paris2024. Paris2024 is the organizing committee of Ol 2024. Despite all the strong ties I have in the world of volleyball, I wanted to walk this path alone. I officially applied for the position through the advertised position, went through all the sieves, completed all the interviews and in the end was selected among xx candidates. Pretty cool, huh? It’s a much better feeling to get a job than to just be placed somewhere because of connections and acquaintances. I myself have never used my connections for jobs or projects. I always let what was meant to come to me come to me.

So my new job involves the technical preparation of beach volleyball at the Olympics. To assemble a team of professional people who will contribute their knowledge to our team, to plan the preparation and implementation of the competition, the recruitment of operational personnel, to supervise the construction of the site itself, to confirm the technical requirements, etc. I will not write everything, because the description of my tasks in the contract is 13 pages long. 🙂 Those of you who know beach volleyball can imagine why it’s going on… just an additional 100kg of pressure, because it’s the biggest competition among the biggest. Nothing you haven’t done before, they told me… well, it’s true, but we’re still talking about the Olympics. This fact is “difficult” in itself and will accompany me for a whole year, every day, with every decision I make. No pressure, though.

Believing in yourself is the key to success

My social networks are full of verses about self-esteem, about self-motivation, about “dream big” reminders… because I REALLY BELIEVE in it. Not only do I believe, myself, my career, my path are living proof of where you can get if you believe in it and are ready to work hard for it. Believing in yourself is key to setting your goals. Dreaming big is a real motivation. BTW: Dreams don’t come true by themselves, you have to work for them! If we really want something, manifest it and have a plan on how to achieve it… then there is a really high probability that we will live out this dream. Why do I believe in the “dream big” saying? Because big dreams push us out of our comfort zone. The comfort zone is NOT our friend. He who does not risk, does not profit. For every step forward, it is necessary to take a step back or stand still if necessary. Self-evaluation, change negative patterns and we can move on. Where there’s a will, there’s strength. Real. “Dream big” gives us a glimpse of the future we want. If you cringe at the thought of your “dream big” idea, then this idea is right for you. It means that you are facing a challenge, that you still have to work on the steps to reach your goal and above all that you are entering the unknown. All these are ticks that drive you forward, so that it will not only remain with big dreams, but that all of this is also realistically possible. I come across the same sentence many times, which says that what we are capable of dreaming, we are also capable of realizing. It takes hard work, humility and a positive attitude. In the end, it’s the journey that counts, not just the destination. What we learn along the way, what doors we open for ourselves, what we learn about ourselves and others… these are all pieces of a bigger puzzle that builds us ourselves.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

If you don’t feel anything when you say that, then maybe my writing isn’t right for you. For me personally, this saying always raises my motivation, always puts a smile on my face and gives me new impetus to move forward.

So, to conclude today’s entry, we are not all people from the same flour, logically, but those of us who are from “the right” flour, have all the possibilities open to success, to go one step further, to make something more of ourselves.

Many times (really many times) I make a joke about myself with the statement: “if the peasant woman from Kanal succeeded, so can someone else.”

Let’s believe in ourselves, dream our wildest dreams, set real goals, work hard for them, allow ourselves to fall and make our dreams come true. We don’t settle for average if we are born for something more. We do not submit to the surroundings and the narrow views around us. Let’s step out of our comfort zone and believe that we can do it.

Every day is a new opportunity to follow your dreams and take the first step.

DREAM BIG, beautiful people.

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