After 4 years of anticipation, the 2012 summer Olympics turned out to be the most-watched television event in U.S. history according to NBC. It might also have been the most exhausting 2 weeks in history staying up to catch every waking moment of swimming, gymnastics and track and field known to man. (31.1 million people, including me, will be able to start sleeping again this week!)

While most of us will never run as fast, jump as high or flip and twirl like the Olympic athletes, there were important lessons we can each take away from the recent gold-medal-winning performances, moments of heartbreak and displays of sheer determination. Lessons that can help us bring out our best inner-athlete and keep finding our extraordinary.

“The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” ~Wilma Rudolph, 1960 track and field Olympic gold medalist in the 100-meters, 200-meters and 4 x 100-meter relay

Here are 5 lessons I learned from the 2012 Summer Olympics to help us all become better athletes

1. We all have bad days. Sometimes they happen on a random day during the middle of a random training week. Sometimes they fall on race day. It doesn’t mean that we are failures if we have a crummy race. We learn something from every disappointing experience, especially those when we’ve done everything we could possibly do to prepare ourselves. Sometimes there are things that are simply out of our control, like the weather and injuries. We sadly watched Ryan Hall drop out of the marathon, quitting his first race ever due to a hamstring strain. We saw the highly favored gymnast McKayla Maroney fall on her second vault. We witnessed Liu Xiang, the former 110-meter hurdles world record holder from China, come to his second Olympics in 8 years and not clear a single hurdle. Even Olympic athletes have bad days. It’s how we pick ourselves up after having a bad day and channel that disappointment into moving forward that makes us great.

“Adversity, if you allow it to, will fortify you and make you the best you can be.” ~Kerri Walsh Jennings, Women’s Volleyball

2. Doing your best is winning. Even if that means one person or lots of people are still better, faster or stronger than you are. When you do the best you are capable of doing and give it all you’ve got, how can you be disappointed? Great Britain’s men’s gymnastics team didn’t get the gold, but they were thrilled to get the bronze medal – the first medal in a century for the nation in that sport. U.S. 100-meter hurdlers Dawn Harper and Kellie Wells didn’t take home the gold, but were thrilled to run their personal best with a silver and bronze victory. It’s not just about beating others. It’s about being the best version of yourself.

“I didn’t set out to beat the world; I just set out to do my absolute best.” ~ Al Oerter, Former Olympic Discus Thrower

3. Achieving big goals takes big commitments and hard work. The only way to get to where we want to go is to do the work. We can want to be a better runner. Want to be a better cyclist. Want to be a more efficient swimmer. But if we don’t put in the time, the training or the dedication, we’ll just continue to plod along. Running the same times. Swimming the same strokes. Pedaling the same distance. If you have big dreams, you have to have equally big plans to turn them into reality. If you’re currently chasing a big fall race goal, now is the time to refocus, recommit and to do what you say you want to do. How can you make sure you get in all your workouts for the week? Who can you call for help to keep you motivated? Who can you turn to for coaching and support? Now is your time.

“If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren’t willing to do.” ~ Michael Phelps, Men’s Swimming

4. Who you really are is just as important as what your body can do. There were a lot of world records broken and amazing athletic feats accomplished in London. But one of the most powerful moments had nothing to do with fast times or medals. It was a lesson about character from Grenada’s Kirani James and courage from Oscar Pistorius. The 400-meter Olympic champion waited for Pistorius, “the fastest man with no legs,” to cross the finish line in his semi-final before celebrating his own victory. He then asked to switch race bibs with him as a sign they were equals. Humility. Sportsmanship. Character. When “bolting” and self-imposed legends are long forgotten, that’s what will be remembered and respected. That’s what wins the real race in life. Speed and strength are nothing alone without gratefulness, compassion and perspective.

“A loser isn’t the person who finishes last. A loser is the person who doesn’t get involved in the first place.” ~Oscar Pistorius, Men’s Track and Field

5. Set your next goal. There have been a number of reports about Olympians who suffer from post-Olympic stress disorder after the games are over and the world moves on. After going from the super-high of the world stage back to normal, endorsement-free life, many athletes have struggled with lows and depression. Many of you may have felt blue after a big race was over. Training for so many months. So much anticipation. And then … BAM! … it’s finished. Setting a new goal can help keep you motivated. Whether it’s signing up for a new race or just trying something completely new, being forward-thinking and focusing on new ways to find our extraordinary can make us happier, focused and more balanced.

“I want to find that defining moment that you’re satisfied and you’ve done what you want to do in your life.” ~Tyson Gay, Men’s Running

541 days until the winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The countdown is on.

Did any of these lessons stand out to you? What other lessons would you add? What was your favorite moment of the 2012 summer Olympics?