Entries RSSThere’s something about the mind of an athlete. I used to be one. Some days I still am. But, I have to think that athletes approach jobs, illnesses, and setbacks in ways most other folks don’t.
The saying “No pain, no gain” as a motivating mantra for football players and marathon runners means that they equate discomfort and trials with progress and improvement. Getting stronger and better hurts. You work through it. You believe the hard part is temporary. You strive for a payoff that’s not guaranteed. You suck it up. You fight. You win. Athletes spend 95% of their time training for competitions that might only last an hour a day or even seconds. And they find those moments worth it.
So are athletes better at rebounding from life’s hard blows? More resilient? I met a man at a conference who was doing research and writing a book on this very subject. He studied former athletes battling cancer. He found that they approached their recovery in much the same way they trained for races and competitions. They pushed the limits and reveled in small improvements. They believed they had control over their illness, rather than the other way around. They chipped away at getting better. Rationalized and regrouped when things didn’t work out as they’d thought. Took a glass half full approach. They trained their body and mind through their illness. Athletes believe they can do anything if they work hard and don’t give up.
I recently read that most female CEOs played sports. It doesn’t surprise me. I run my own company and at times it has felt like an ultra-marathon. Our new reader stats show that 40% of Women’s Adventure readers are owners or co-owners of their businesses. We fight. We win. We believe we can do anything with hard work and determination. I learned those lessons on the track with lots of sweat and interval work in the Texas sun. I ran through college. I still run.
And now, while I battle MS, I’m back to running 5 miles. Three weeks ago, I had to walk most of my shorter routes. But, I’ve been chipping away at it. The 5 miles feels good. But, my body still isn’t ready for it. It’s as if the run activates my brain into overload. A 5 mile run at any speed means that I’m down for the count the next day with muscle fatigue, tremors, spasms, and skin sensations. I’m foggy. Unable to focus. Just need a dark room to calm everything back down. But, I feel really blessed to have that 5 miles. I know it’s a gift.
So, I rest. I let my brain reboot. And, by my next blog, I expect my recovery time to be better. Normal. I believe if I work hard and don’t give up that I will control my disease instead of it controlling me. I have the mind of an athlete. It’s a placebo. Because whether or not what I am doing helps me get faster, better, healthier, my belief that it does, changes everything for the better.
