What does it mean to be an athlete?
As I watch footballs players interviewed in the pregame show, I am inspired to dissect what makes the world’s best athletes so special and what we can learn from them.
Even if you aren’t starting in the Big Game tonight, you can be inspired by their strength, perseverance, confidence, and drive.
Common traits among some of the world’s top athletes:
They are confident. They know themselves well, and are confident in their abilities. However, they are human and sometimes have self-doubt. When that happens, they reset their focus on the goal and keep on going. “I am going to show you how great I am.”
They are themselves. They know that if you want to be best that you can be, you can’t be someone else. You have to be yourself. They know they are special, and they let everyone know it.
They are relentless. It is described as a fire burning inside of them. They have an inner strength and are extremely passionate. They don’t apologize for their vigor or their drive.
They compete. Obviously, competition is the name of the game. However, the best athletes also compete with themselves. There is no better opponent than the person in the mirror.
They didn’t get there overnight. They push through personal challenges and persevere towards their goal. Hardship and obstacles can push someone outside of visible and invisible boundaries to achieve the unimaginable. They practice every day for long hours and don’t stop working until they are the best of the best.
They set ambitious goals – not just winning the next game, but looking ahead and setting long-term goals that may seem out of reach. One athlete told his high-school teacher that he was going to the NFL. When his teacher told him that his chances were a million and one, his response was, “Well, I’m the one.” Today he is playing for the Seahawks in the Superbowl.
They have rituals. Runners say that marathons are 90% mental, and I believe that’s true of any sport. If that means listening to the same music playlist before a game, reciting a poem, or saying a personal prayer, it puts them in the right state of mind to focus and get their head in the game. Repetition = success.
They celebrate and have fun. Every play, every touchdown, every win. They work hard and play just as hard. If you’ve worked hard to get here, you might as well enjoy the journey. We’ve watched countless athletes having fun on the field, dancing in the end zone and huddling up to loudly chant their victory song. When your job is also your passion, it’s not hard to see that your heart is in it.
They have focus. Their life revolves around their sport. They live and breathe it, and don’t let anything else get in their way.
What is your sport? Are you in the game?
