Professional athletes are crazy. Yes, you read that right. Absolutely insane.
A big piece of my working to come back to heath from a very long flareup of Ulcerative Colitis has been uncovering mental and emotional patterns I’ve had that may not be healthy. And as I practice self-awareness, I realize that MOST of my thought processes are unhealthy! In fact, they’re pretty crazy.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I know that I’m not alone in these thought processes. And that’s part of the issue — I didn’t realize how crazy I was because all my best friends and coworkers are crazy too (at least to some extent)!
For years I’ve trained my mind to think a certain way, and I would venture to guess that the majority of pro athletes or others at the top of their various fields have done the same.
So, as you watch the World Cup or NBA Finals or Stanley Cup or NWSL, as you appreciate the work your favorite athletes put on display, you now have a bit of insight into why we/they are a bit different breed than the norm. It’s not just about a talent level or athleticism or trained skill set; a big part of it is the mindset that it takes to hone those traits and maintain longevity while doing so.
5 Ways In Which Pro Athletes Are Absolutely Insane*
- We convince ourselves that we like things that suck. If you say you enjoyed the flavor of kale the first time you ate it, then you’re full of a word I can’t say in this blog because I have young readers. We “enjoy” green smoothies, salty electrolyte supplements, and ice baths.
- We train ourselves to push through discomfort and pain. Pain is the body’s way of telling us to stop. And there’s a natural amount of discomfort that is helpful to learn to push through. For example, running hard to reach a new level of fitness. Or, making yourself show up and perform even if you’re extremely nervous. But this line often gets blurred. Athletes play through broken bones, torn muscles and ligaments, the flu, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s, severe anxiety and depression. And it’s considered part of the job. We’re “tough” if we do these things, and sometimes ignoring the messages to stop becomes not just applauded, but expected.
- We put almost everything else second. We go to a ridiculous extent to put our entire lives on hold for a game that we happened to find fun as a kid. Our sports of choice all started out as games. But for us, all sense of recreation and moderation soon evaporated. Now, all decisions in our lives revolve around our sport. Where we live, how we live, what we do in our downtime, and how we think are all subject to our own scrutiny regarding their contribution to our athletic career. NO decision is made that can’t somehow be traced back to a root in our sport.
- We ignore all mathematical logic. I’m no math expert, but I do realize that something mayyyy be off if you’re spending 90% of your energy for a 1, or maybe 2% return on your investment. We literally spend hundreds, even thousands, of hours in order to improve sometimes 1%. In no business besides ours would that be recommended behavior and considered time well spent.
In my personal journey towards renewed health, I’m trying to reverse some of the thought processes I trained into myself my entire life. Mainly, that includes the idea that “extreme” is the only way to go, and that moderation is for the average person. Moderation is healthy. Moderation is in balance.
(As I type this, I’m trying to convince myself, l if you couldn’t tell…..).
*It’s important to note that female athletes must be the most insane of them all, considering that on average we make considerably less money and get considerably less glory than our male counterparts. And we still do all the same crazy things!