[klum]

From the article, you get the clear impression that she had a complicated relationship with the sport: she was passionate about it, but afraid of it as well.

I can't help but wonder if she would have gotten closer to her goals if she had been able to see things in a less scary light -- by being taught and supported in a more positive way, or something like that. I guess it's down to who you are as a person, but attitudes can be developed in different ways.

I wonder if there is a distinction between top performers and mere mortals here -- that the top performers manage to find the love for what they are doing even under intense pressure? And, in that case, which way the causality goes...