Tipping the scale...

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a fantastic best seller book called The Tipping Point, which talks about change and why things change so fast and how fast social epidemics can grow and spread. I have yet to read it but after reading Outliers and Blink I know I won't go wrong with this one. Anyway, Gladwell talks about social epidemics and change but I'm more concerned about knowing which way to tip the balance. 

In life, we are faced with so many choices and saying "yes" and saying "no" are never that simple. Decisions are so heavily influenced by other people, the environment, the media and our society. When you're an athlete (and that's all you do) I think you want to know where the tipping point is and avoid it. A good athlete is a happy and healthy athlete and that comes physically, mentally and emotionally. 

We forget about how important balance is in our life because we get caught up in the goals and aspirations of becoming the best athlete we can be. Just as we balance training time with recovery time we need to balance athlete time and being human time. For that I look to family, friends, boyfriend and all the in-between people that support you and help you get through the tough times and share with you the great times.

I don't know how you would get through anything in life (work, school, etc.) without having someone to confide in, someone to talk to on your down days, someone to distract you when you're frustrated or someone to tell you what you need to hear - critical or not. 

I have to remind myself that as much as I spend time on the pitch I also needs to spend time with friends, family and the community that helped support and get me to where I am. Push comes to shove and there will come or I know it is coming a day when I have to choose... career in sport or family/relationship? Why can't it be both? Some would say that's selfish. So much strain comes on a relationship when you are so tied to a sport and your team. Obviously so much time is spent away and your training schedule is so different from working a 9-5pm job.

Part of what makes you an athlete, though, has got to be what makes you who you are and what makes people fall in love with you, be your friend or want to support you. So, isn't it a catch-22 to not be understanding in a relationship of whatever kind? Doing what you love over being with who you love? Should that have to be a choice? I wouldn't be where I am without all those special people and I can't continue to succeed without them.  I guess I could go on without them for a while but I know life isn't life without the people you care about. Success is only great if you have the people you care about to share it with.

I find that as an athlete, you have such an unusual life style that people just don't understand. Some think, "wow, sweet life. train and exercise all day and get to go to cool multi-sport events and travel the world" without really seeing the sweat, pain and struggles of the actual job. Obviously, we all appreciate the Olympians and their talent and work ethic to win medals but do we really see what goes on to get there? Maybe we shield our eyes from it because it seems rediculously unattainable.

Every day an athlete could walk a way and go get their degree or apply for a full-time job but the euphoria you feel when you're doing physical activity that engages all the things that make you tick inside.... it's unlike any other feeling! Why give that up ? Why not share that with those you care about ?

It takes a special person to become an athlete and be the best at what they do but I think it takes an even more special person to be patient and keep supporting that athlete through out a gruelling but rewarding career choice.

Besides, there are always time stamps on how long we can do what we do. Regardless, carpe diem to what you can do at your age and follow your other life goals after. Sometimes we don't have to make the scale tip to one side or the other. Sometimes the choice is to choose both and keep it balanced. That's my choice, anyway. The rest is up to you to decide.