"Well concerning the world records that I did, I think it helps a lot to me, yeah. I think it's a very individual thing because I heard some people say, like, oh I don't like it at all. But I definitely, for me it really made a big difference"

When Inge de Bruijn reflects on the impact of setting world records, she reveals the deeply personal and subjective nature of achievement and motivation. For her, breaking world records was not merely a public accolade; it had profound personal significance and served as a powerful motivator. She acknowledges that for some athletes, such milestones might not hold the same weight, or might even be unappealing. This points to the varying attitudes that different individuals hold toward recognition and benchmarks of success in sport.

De Bruijn’s words highlight the diversity of psychological responses to performance milestones. While some people thrive on the pursuit of records, seeing them as a validation of their hard work and a tangible goal, others may feel indifferent or even burdened by comparison and expectation. The statement, “I heard some people say, like, oh I don’t like it at all,” illustrates that athletes operate according to their own set of internal drives. What one finds motivating, another might find extraneous or even detrimental to their happiness and competitive focus.

For de Bruijn, the experience of setting world records contributed substantially to her development and confidence. The phrase, “it helps a lot to me, yeah,” illustrates how these accomplishments reinforced her self-belief and perhaps even fueled her continual improvement. Achieving such high-profile goals provided her not only with public recognition but likely also with a sense of mastery and personal validation. This demonstrates that athletic pursuits are informed as much by internal processes, values, perceptions, goals, as they are by external achievements or the opinions of others.

Her perspective sheds light on the uniquely individual journey of each athlete and the importance of self-awareness in finding what motivates or sustains one’s passion. There is no universal formula for fulfillment or success; for some, glory is found in the setting of world records, while for others, it may be in the pursuit itself, regardless of outcome.