Are you an athlete?
Who are athletes? Is an athlete someone who competes in sports? Is that it? In class I always say, “if you have a body, you are an athlete.” Why do I repeatedly say this? BECAUSE IT’S TRUE!
You should call yourself an athlete
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an athlete is “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.”
An associate professor of athletic coaching education at West Virginia University and sports psychology consultant, Kristen Dieffenbach, explains that “Everyone should think of themselves as athletes. It’s not reserved for people who get a paycheck from it,” noting that she’s surprised how many clients are reluctant to embrace the identity. “It’s like they’re devaluing what they’re doing, even if they love physical activity.”
There are a lot of stereotypes that come with the word athlete. We need to get rid of those stereotypes. When we were in grade school there were kids that were labeled “athletes” and those that were labeled as “nonathletic.” If you felt like you were a part of the “nonathletic” crew, I challenge you to remove those thoughts from your mind. Listen, I did play sports. I played at a high level. I’ve worked through the challenges and have learned so many lessons from sports. I am not taking anything away from people who play sports. What I am saying is that people should be celebrated and celebrate themselves for the constant grind. Getting up every day and choosing to exercise, pushing yourself to the limit, working to build your strength and endurance - that to me is an ATHLETE.
WHY Should you call yourself an athlete and why should you care?
You should be calling yourself an athlete to live a more athletically focused life. The stereotype of an athlete is one of mental clarity, strength, endurance and dedication. My challenge to you team is the get in the mindset of an athlete, because you are one. Everything you do, you do it at 110%. You finish everything you start. You get your body in the best shape of your life. You fuel your body with the nutrients your body NEEDS and not just WANTS. You WIN. You win at life. You win the year, the month, the week, the day, the hour. You win every step you take, every rep you complete. Your abilities are endless. BEAST MODE ON.
Team, let’s win. LET’S GO. See you on Monday.
