A recent encounter with a bump in the road (aka "adversity") in the pursuit of one of my goals, for some reason my mind turned to Peter the apostle in the Bible's New Testament. Now, even if you aren't Christian, keep reading because I realized that one of Peter's experiences in his life can teach us quite a bit about setting, keeping and working for goals.

The story in question is found in St. Mathew chapter 14 (or St. Mark 6 and St. John 6). The story tells us that Jesus Christ's disciples, of which Peter was one, were out on a small fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee on their way to Capernaum. We read that it was late at night, during the "fourth watch" which according to the Roman's method of keeping time was "quarta vigilia noctis", or just before dawn, which tells us that the disciples had been rowing and fighting the storm throughout the night.

Now storms on the Sea of Galilee can be quite violent due to the cold air coming down from the hills around the sea where it meets the warmer air around the Galilee due to the lower elevation. So there the disciples were; it was late, it was violently stormy, the wind was roaring, the waves were crashing over the tiny boat's sides and the rain was coming down in sheets. It was at this point that Jesus appeared, walking across the thrashing water. While the disciples feard it was spirit at first, Jesus said "Be of good acheer; it is I; be not afraid." Peter, upon seeing his master, cries out, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." to which Jesus simply responds, "Come." This is where it gets interesting.

After spending half a lifetime surrounded by some of the best athletes in the world, I've learned quite a bit about setting effective resolutions for life. From Olympic gold medalists to world champions, these competitors continually set the bar high in pursuit of athletic, personal, work and educational goals.

Over the years as an athlete, then a coach, now an athlete again I have taken the lessons I have learned from these champions and applied them in my own life, in addition to my own insights and methods, and have discovered that there is truth to the saying that "you can do anything you set your mind to." The caveat is that it takes careful planning and hard work, so here are five gold-medal tips to help you set and keep those New Year's Resolutions!

1. Discover the Why
So often I encounter people who set great New Year's Resolutions, but fail to achieve them because they set them to impress or appease others.Any goal or objective that we set because of some outside social pressure is bound to fail. Why do you want to go to the gym more in 2014? Is it to improve your health and feel more fit? Or is it because you feel that you need to because society demands it? Why do you want to get a better job in 2014? Is it to feel satisfaction through a better use of your time and abilities? Or is it to tell others you have a fancy title and therefore feel (falsely) important? New Year's Resolutions that last are ones that are set because WE want to set and achieve them. So ask yourself: WHY do you want to set and achieve X, Y, and Z resolutions? Is it for yourself, or for others?

After gathering up questions from social media outlets, we sat down with him to get answers about bobsled and his latest book, “Fire on Ice: Gospel Lessons Learned from a Lifetime of Sport”

“Where did the ideas for your book come from?”
The basic concept came back in 1998 when I had some powerful spiritual experiences on the ice. Over the years, and during my mission, I started to write down what I had learned about Gospel principles through bobsled. It was a scribble here, a thought there, but eventually I had a long list of topics and relating stories or experiences that I began to flesh out in book format during 2005-2006. The book sat for years until I felt a very strong impression and desire to get it published, so in 2012 I began to rework the manuscript until I felt satisfied and then submitted it to Cedar Fort, Inc. in 2013.

“Why did you write your book?”
I’ve always liked writing. I remember taking a creative writing class way back in like 1991 and the instructors were really impressed with my work. I have had several published writers throughout the years compliment my natural writing abilities and tell me I should pursue it. I used to write these short stories and put my friends in as different characters which they got a kick out of. But it wasn’t until I got back from my mission that I really began to toy around with the idea of becoming a “writer.” The more the ideas came for “Fire on Ice” the more serious I took the possibility that I could do this. I just felt like this book needed to be written. It needed to be written to help share more about my sport, to help others strengthen their testimonies, to help those who may be struggling not feel alone and most of all I felt like it needed to be written to help my fellow singles/midsingles find hope on the path.

“How did your journey to bobsledding begin?”
Salt Lake City was officially awarded the 2002 Olympic Winter Games on June 16, 1995, so to prepare for the Games Utah quickly began constructing the bobsled track in Park City. Our sport’s national governing body, the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, sent a coach to Utah to begin building bobsled and skeleton programs here. One thing led to another and my dad’s company got involved as a sponsor for the upcoming 1998 U.S. Olympic Bobsled Team. Through the sponsorship Dad was offered a free four-man bobsled ride and he invited me to go with him. I took that first ride on January 25, 1997 and haven’t looked back since.

“How would you describe a bobsled ride?”
Basically if you take your favorite roller coaster and mash it with an F-22 Raptor flight, plus throw in what the astronauts feel on take-off, that is a bobsled ride. It is a thrilling, beautiful, eye-opening experience. It’s hard to describe the rush from the acceleration itself, but as a sled pilot there is nothing like guiding a sled down the track at full speed, feeling the turns whip you around as you transition smoothly from one point to the next.

“Do you have a nickname for your bobsled?”
Actually we do, our current sled is nicknamed The Phoenix after the mythical bird that rose from the ashes. We chose this name because as a team we are committed to spreading hope and showing others that you can always rise from the ashes of failure and defeat.

Several years ago while sitting with a trusted friend we began to reminisce about high school. As I talked about the good and bad that comes with that "joyous" time of life, I thought back to my younger self's battles for identity and the additional silent wars fought against anxiety and depression. Imagine trying to define yourself while dealing with those particular ghosts in the closet?

My friend immediately noticed the quiet change that came over my face. "You ok?"

"I feel sorry for him," I said quietly. And I did. When I thought back to all that my 15-18 year old self had to deal with, I silently wanted to applaud the fact that I had survived. Depression sucks at any age, let alone to a barely-able-to-drive kid who thought his world revolved around bobsled, girls, good grades and my faith. I didn't know words like "cope", "share", "vent", "heal" and "support." All I knew was that I was supposed to keep it together, put the big smile on my face and make it through. Like many guys, I would be damned before I admitted I needed a helping hand.

Recently I had the opportunity to participate in a charity masquerade dance/event to raise money for a young boy suffering from a costly medical condition. It was a real joy to help provide some surprise relief for this boy’s family as the holiday season (and medical bills) approached.

During the event I observed some fascinating social behaviors displayed by the attendees, 99% of whom were single and fell within the 25-50 age range. I noticed these same mannerisms at several Halloween functions I went to which piqued my curiosity even further.

I’m a people watcher, an “observer”. While I often find myself the center of attention as a speaker or visiting athlete or host, I am perfectly content just sitting with a small group of friends and talking the night away. However, more often than not I do not have the luxury of doing this, so over the years I have learned to quickly evaluate the personalities, mindsets, habits, attitudes, desires and motivations of the crowd, group or person(s) I find myself associating with for whatever event I am at.

As I watched the people at the masquerade and Halloween parties, I noticed that many were willing to give up their uniqueness in a good-intentioned attempt to be unique. Confused? Let me put it another way: I saw people put on the “important” and “required” social and fashion “masks” in order to fit in when they really desired to stand out.

This past Saturday, October 5, I had the opportunity to attend an anti-bullying event held in Salt Lake City, Utah. As I stood there watching the various attendees come through I spent a portion of the day pondering the bullies I had faced in my own life. From fellow students in school to fellow athletes in sport, I have tasted the bitter results of those who for one reason or another felt the need to force their own pains on another.

This time of meditation led me to think of another bully, one that can inflict true hurt and heartache. I speak of mental illness, a bully that no school Principal or mortal parent can ever put in "time out." No sibling can stand up to this bully on the "playground" of life and no spouse, friend or teammate can fully protect you from. This bully is the first to steal hope, happiness and energy from life.

I have often wondered what my life would be like if I had not been asked to carry this "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7). Would I be married with a family by now? Would I have a more successful professional career? Would I have done more in my sport of bobsled and gone further? Would I have deeper relationships and friendships? Would I be a better light unto this dark and troubled world? The questions, and possible answers, are infinite and beyond my ability to comprehend. 

Last week on my Facebook we played the well-known game known as "2 Truths and a Lie". The object of the game is to give three "factual" statements about one's life, two of which are true while the other is false. The other players in the game then try to guess which are which, so you have to give your "facts" with confidence and a straight face. Think of it as a verbal version of the party game, "B.S."

So my three "truths" were as follows: 

The responses on which were true and which was false were pretty entertaining, but since I promised to give the answers here it goes!

This past weekend I had the humbling opportunity to attend and speak at an inspirational and touching "Out of Darkness" community walk at Pleasant Grove High School. What a beautiful facility and what a beautiful day, all for a beautiful purpose. A huge congratulations to the many, many volunteers who worked tirelessly to make it happen.

It was a moving experience to see so many who came to honor the memory of those who decided to take their own lives. All across the United States, teams of volunteers give of their time and resources to organize these walks to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention as well as fund-raise for educational and supportive efforts to prevent more lose. As the AFSP's website states: 

"In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 13.7 minutes, claiming more than 38,000 lives each year. It is estimated that an attempt is made every minute, with close to one million people attempting suicide annually. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. among adults 18-65, the second leading cause of death among teens and young adults, and individuals ages 65 and older account for 16 percent of all suicide deaths. This is a public health issue that does not discriminate by age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status."

It was an amazing opportunity for me to participate because of all the wonderful people I met, but also because this is a subject that hits so very close to him since it was only years ago that I almost took my own life. Below is a copy of the speech that I gave to the event's attendees that I hope can inspire and comfort you in your own tough times. Don't give up. There is always hope. 

Several years ago I went backpacking with a group down to Paria Canyon in Southern Utah. Located within the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, this beautiful 50-mile hike was a breathtaking adventure in some of God's greatest creations. With stunning sandstone "sculptures" molded by wind and water and overwhelming 300-400 foot tall cliff walls, this trip was where I fell in love with Southern Utah.

During this trip we would sleep out under the stars and I remember one night gazing up into the cosmos and trying to count the infinite number of bright lights that hung in the night sky. The air was so clear down there that I felt as though I could raise up my hand and touch the stars. 

Touching the stars. Not many of us try to do that anymore. As kids we all had these marvelous dreams and hopes for the future, but somewhere along the way we start to lose that magic, that special spark of "anything is possible". Reality sets in and imagination goes out the window. No wonder so many people in this world are bored, sad, lonely and discouraged! You can see it in their eyes; they've stopped dreaming.

They've stopped reaching for the stars. 

After an exciting fourteen-year career in the thrilling winter sport of bobsled, Christian author Jeremy C. Holm has given us the life-changing book, Fire and Ice. Full of unforgettable experiences and deep insight into the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Fire and Ice is a must read for any sports fan or follower of Christ.