My life (currently) summed up in a quote

"Deciding to train for an Olympic team, no matter the situation, requires tapping into your deepest reserves of dedication, courage and sacrifice.  Not only must you be willing to put your personal life on hold, you need to tolerate treading your body like a machine and also risk enormous disappointment...You have to say to yourself, and to the rest of the world, I have a dream: I want to make the Olympic team.  Then there's no guarantee you will.  Emotionally, you're so exposed." 

This quote from Dara Torres' book, Age is Just a Number, pretty much sums up what myself and all other Olympians and aspiring Olympians go through in order to reach their dream.  Well said.