.PNG)
Kelly Slater surfing superstar was recently recognized by the Laureus World Sports Academy when he received the prestigious Laureus lifestime achievement in sports award. Proof positive the value of a lifetime of heartfelt dedication
The Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award is given to athletes who’ve made extraordinary contributions to their sport beyond competition, impacting its culture, expanding its development and promoting its global out reach.
The Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award is not presented every year. It is a discretionary honor given by the Laureus World Sports Academy and is only awarded in certain years when the Academy chooses to recognize an individual for their exceptional contributions to their sport.
Kelly Slater joins soccer phenomenon Pele and American football great Tom Brady as a recipient of this exceptional Lifetime Achievement Award. Many consider the Laureus award the equivalent of receiving an Oscar or even a Noble Peace Prize, it’s a big deal.
Kelly Slater has been awarded by the Laureus World Sports Awards a total of five times. He won the Action Sportsperson of the Year award four times (2007, 2009, 2011, and 2012) and received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.
The athlete who has received the most Laureus World Sports Awards is tennis player Roger Federer, with a total of six awards. This includes an unmatched five Sportsman of the Year trophies and one Comeback of the Year award, earned between 2005 and 2018.
The two women with the most Lauerus awards apiece are gymnast Simone Biles and tennis player Serena Williams who both have received 4 awards apiece.
With all the millions of athletes participating in various sports worldwide one may wonder what do these Laureus awarded premier athletes share in common that enabled them to reach the top level of their respective sports.
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about what these illustrious sport champions have in commonality is they all possess God given ability, natural talent and superior physical abilities. And while this may be true there is something deeper.
Steadfast Dedication
It’s safe to say getting to the top and maintaining peak performance in any sport or other activity begins and ends with steadfast dedication. Dedication is the connection these supreme athletes share irregardless of their specific sports genre. The prerequisite to success in any and all endeavors begins with dedication border lining obsession.
Dedication is the willingness to give a lot of time, energy, and wholehearted devotion to something because it is important or meaningful. It involves strong commitment, passion, loyalty, and responsibility toward a person, cause, or task. Focused dedication, as in hours, days, weeks, months and years.
Dedication begets Confidence
Kelly Slater honed his basic surfing skills in the predominantly small waves of Florida. Extrapolating from his success, it’s a safe bet as a youth Slater spent a great deal of his time if not the majority of it dedicated to surfing. If he wasn’t surfing he was more than likely thinking about surfing. The more he surfed the more confident he became and the better he performed.
Truthful, even the “G. O. A. T.” could not have accomplished becoming an 11 times Surfing World Champion had he not put in the time and dedication. No one ever instantly becomes a champion overnight. Kelly Slater had to constantly ride waves, Tom Brady throw 1000’s of footballs and Serena Williams hit endless tennis balls. The longer one practices something the more effortless it becomes, thus imbuing a real sense and growing feeling of self confidence.
Confidence Emboldens Risk Taking
Certainly as Kelly Slater’s confidence grew so did his ability to take risks. One can only image the first time a young inexperienced 19 year old from Florida risked surfing the notorious Pipeline for the very first time. Pipeline can be intimidating no matter who you are or how well you can surf.
Pipeline is considered a death defying wave and many times just making the drop is success. Coming from a small wave background Slater had no way of knowing ahead of time whether he would make the super steep drop or not but, he did have confidence in himself and his ability to try. Confidence gained through years of experience and continuous non stop surfing.
Risk Taking Facilitates Advancement
Turns out Kelly Slater was able to capture and even make a few waves his very first go out at Pipeline. As he remained dedicated, his confidence grew, he began to push his limits more and more. Each time improving his confidence, knowledge and performances. Over years of training and dedication he went from one of the boys in the Pipeline lineup to “the main Man”.
In addition to his all his remarkable achievements and 11 world titles Kelly Slater has won the Pipeline Masters Surfing Championship eight times, making the kid from Florida the most successful surfer in the event’s history. His eighth victory came in 2022, 30 years after his first win at Pipeline.
Dedication in sports paid off for Kelly Slater as well as all the top athletes in the world, and it can for you as well in any endeavor of your fancy. Wether it’s sports, music, academics, relationships, or whatever you decide. Dedication is the reason Carlos Santana sounds so great, why Nikolai Tesla was able to make scientific breakthroughs, and why people stay married for 50 years.
Imagine if Kelly Slater would have spent his time playing billiards or playing around with his friends instead of being completely immersed and dedicated to surfing. Surely with all his natural talent and above average ability he would have non the less been a stand out , but 11 time Surfing World Champion more likely not.
Is there anything you are passionately dedicated to or about?
It can be said, greater and of more importance than all God given gifts, supernatural talents or superior physical abilities is sheer borderline obsessed dedication. Should it come down to two individuals of equal skill the one who has been more dedicated has the winning advantage.
If you enjoyed my blog please like, comment and share! As well if you have a subject you would like to see covered or specific question you would liked answered please let me know!
