DUBAI: The Saudi periodontist and triathlete — a veteran of more than 20 Iron Man races — talks talks ego, choices, and drumming. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle What I love about triathlons is that they’re an internal journey. You’re trying to push yourself to be the better version of yourself. Of course, it’s external too, but there’s a lot of internal work you have to do get to the finish line in an endurance race. The biggest challenge in these long races is to try and stay in the moment. Am I doing what I need to do right now? If you are, then the outcome will be what it’s meant to be. But if you’re constantly getting ahead of yourself, you can sabotage your own race. Don’t constantly focus on an outcome related to a number or your placement. Why beat yourself up? Look at it as a journey. It’s a bit eccentric, but I love drumming. Not the modern-style drums, but, like, African djembe drumming. It’s an activity of happiness and high vibrations. I love it. You can drum to the beat of your soul. When you’re in a group of drummers, there’s a beautiful energy created. My mom has always been an inspiration. In her day not every girl went to school, let alone became an athlete. But she — by instinct — adopted a very athletic lifestyle and I grew up with that. Exercise was a part of life. I also grew up doing martial arts, which taught me discipline. And I’ve done that for my kids too. It teaches you how to listen to instructions, how to be disciplined, how to be focused and centered. To succeed as a triathlete, you have to make the commitment that, no matter what happens, you’re not going to quit. You’ll navigate around it. When people judge athletes — like, ‘He didn’t do well this year’ — you don’t know what they’re going through. Maybe they’re hurting; maybe they had an injury, or maybe they weren’t mentally in a good space. People judge based on outcomes, but you don’t know what’s happening to the person you’re judging. Any time you push yourself to that finish line without quitting, it’s a victory. One of the biggest mistakes is when you let your ego in and set expectations. Then you don’t surrender. You go in with that ego and life crushes you. You’ll learn the hard way. Be humble and try your best. Be OK with whatever result you get as long as you try your best. I’m most proud of my three kids. They’re all adults now and they managed to find their own life, career, or path. I’m really proud of the beautiful human beings they are. In my career, I’m proud that I went to Boston and did my master’s, because that was a big challenge. I was married, I had three kids — I had my kids early. I didn’t want to give up my dream of becoming a periodontist, but at the same time I didn’t want to jeopardize my kids and take decisions that would move them all with me, so I was commuting back and forth for many years, but I was so proud to achieve my dream, and I’m grateful that I had the chance to do that. Life is about choices. Every moment is a choice. No one should play the victim card. It’s all about your choices, but choices are sometimes expensive. Once we realize that, we honor it, we honor our lives and we take responsibility for them. And it’s empowering. Accept the people around you and hope that they accept how you are. Accept them and love them the way they are. And that includes your kids — after a certain age, you just love them the way they are.