Learning from Lance

I read this excellent editorial in today's New York Times by Thomas L. Friedman. The whole thing is great, and I would copy and paste the entire thing here if I could. It is much deeper than an article about riding a bike, and talks about principles that we Americans seem to be forgetting. Here is an excerpt:

What I find most impressive about Armstrong, besides his sheer willpower to triumph over cancer, is the strategic focus he brings to his work, from his prerace training regimen to the meticulous way he and his cycling team plot out every leg of the race. It is a sight to behold. I have been thinking about them lately because their abilities to meld strength and strategy - to thoughtfully plan ahead and to sacrifice today for a big gain tomorrow - seem to be such fading virtues in American life.