The diver

 Dexter stood on the edge of the diving board, staring down at the shimmering blue water below. The roar of the crowd filled his ears, but his mind was cluttered with something else, the endless flood of opinions from social media. Some called him a rising star; others said he lacked the precision of a true champion. Each comment swirled in his head, threatening to throw him off balance.

He had once thought that success would bring clarity, but the higher he climbed in the world of competitive diving, the more distractions surrounded him. He would scroll through his phone after each competition, absorbing the praise and the criticism in equal measure. The praise made him feel invincible, but the criticism clung to him like a weight, dragging his confidence down.

Coach Ramirez had noticed his hesitation during training. "Dexter, momentum comes from moving forward, not looking back. If you let every comment control you, you’ll never own your dive."

That night, Dexter deleted the social media apps from his phone. It felt strange at first, like he was cutting off part of himself. But as days passed, he felt lighter, his focus sharper. He spent more time perfecting his dives, listening to his instincts instead of the shifting tides of online opinion.

Now, as he stood poised for his final dive of the championship, he took a deep breath. The voices in his head had quieted. There was only the rhythm of his own breathing, the solid feel of the board beneath his feet. He launched into the air, twisting and turning with precision, feeling every movement with absolute clarity.

When he emerged from the water, the crowd erupted in applause. He didn’t know what they were saying online, and for the first time, he didn’t care. He had mastered more than just his dive. He had mastered his focus.