The biggest thing I noticed growing up when I was doing BMX racing or playing rugby through to secondary school level, was seeing the parents who were so desperate to see their kids do well that they were almost living their lives through their kids and putting huge pressure on them to the point they weren't enjoying it.
Interpretation
Parents' pressure on children can hinder their enjoyment and success.
In this quote, Chris Hoy reflects on his observations from his youth in sports, noting that some parents exert excessive pressure on their children to succeed. This pressure can transform the experience from one of enjoyment and personal development into a stressful obligation, ultimately hindering the child's passion and love for the activity.
In practice
In a talk about youth sports, you might use this quote to illustrate the importance of fun over competition.
Someone like Jessica Ennis-Hill having her first baby then bouncing back to become world champion in the space of the year. I maybe wouldn't have appreciated just how big an achievement that was until I had my own child. It's an incredible thing.
I hope to instill, in every child I meet, my love and enthusiasm for reading and stories.
Why are you so docile when you give up your child to a government agent called a schoolteacher?
People say Malala's voice is being sold to the world. But I see it as Malala's voice reaching the world and resonating globally. You should think about what is behind Malala's voice. What is she saying? I am only talking about education, women's rights, and peace.
Every time I wrote fiction, I was discouraged, and every time I wrote nonfiction, I was encouraged.
Keep your hands moving. Writing is rewriting.
They're all so highly educated, you know. Education is a great shield against experience. It offers so much, ready-made and all from the best shops, that there's a temptation to miss your own life in pursuing the lives of your betters. It makes you wise in some ways, but it can make you a blindfolded fool in others.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.