At the heart of each athlete is a human being.
For the athlete, strengthening the connection to that human throughout their athletic career can help to maintain perspective and humility.
Sport is an opportunity for athletes to physically push beyond the sweet spot of physical expression required for health.
They go there in pursuit of their maximum physical potential at a peak period of their life…ideally this would be timed with a peak period in their athletic career.
A peak, by its very nature, is not sustainable.
Once over, it is likely followed by a steeper drop off in physical health than the longer plateauing curve we’d see from exercising for vitality and longevity.
Holding a healthy awareness and respect for this truth will upgrade meaning in the athlete’s process [just like accepting the inevitability of our mortality can bring a higher sense of meaning and appreciation of life].
This will better prepare them for life beyond sport, where life continues for the person after the athlete identity is retired.
Through reflection and conversation our role as coaches is to reference check alignment throughout.
Through collaboration we challenge intentions in an attempt to keep them rooted in the essence – the human – and avoid losing themselves to the constructed identity of the athlete, and all the problems that that poses on both sides of the peak.
If the athlete life is for you, remember that you are a human first, and be sure to make your peak a fantastic one – definitely higher than where you would be outside of sport, otherwise, you’ve got to ask; is it worth the price you’ll pay to play the game?
Don’t get stuck in no-mans land.
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