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Relationship Advice

How to Keep the Flame Alive Between you and your Sport

Growing up in an athletic environment, I often heard phrases like soccer is my other boyfriend, and I’m just married to track right now.  For many, the commitment required to be great is not unlike being in a relationship with someone else, so it is no surprise that being a competitive athlete easily compares to dating. Realistically there are a boat-load of differences between an actual personal relationship and the one that an athlete has with the sport that they play, but when you consider the similarities there are plenty of important lessons to learn.  Want to continue becoming the best athlete you can be? Here are two areas that you can start working on right now to improve your relationship with your sport.

CONNECT: Love is Different than Like

Sure, there are times that liking your sport comes naturally, that’s probably why you do it! You don’t have to try hard to enjoy spending time competing or practicing, and things just seem to line up for you the way you want them to. For most athletes, especially as they start a sport, that is how they spend the majority of their time competing: blissful. However, there will be days that aren’t sunshine and rainbows. There will be challenges and rough patches that require time and work, and that’s ok! Building a connection to your sport will help you remember why you do it on the days that aren’t so easy.

  • Write your sport a ‘love letter’

    • Ask yourself these questions: Why do you do it? What do you love most about it? What has competing in your sport given you? How does it feel when everything is going well? If you didn’t have it in your life, how would it be different? What would you miss most if you weren’t playing or competing? Keep a list in your bag or in your phone so it is easily accessible.

  • Remember the good times

    • It’s time to start tracking your favorite performances. Keep a list of all of the best days you have had as an athlete. Whether you finally get that personal best, or master a skill you have been working on for months, you will have proof that answers ‘yes’ to  the question “can I do this?”.  

 LOVE YOURSELF FIRST: Bring the best you to the table

Being a great athlete and being a great all-around person are not mutually exclusive. In the same way that sport can have a profound effect on who you are and the way you experience the world, working on yourself in general can positively impact your sport performance. It’s a good idea to occasionally take a step back and look at the bigger picture.