I’ve been noticing lately that many of the people I see working out, whether it be running, walking or weight training, have something in common…a specific look upon their faces. For a while I couldn’t identify exactly what it was, but it seemed they all had some variation of that same expression.  And then it dawned on me…it was the look of desperation. All of these individuals were in extremely poor condition and appeared to be engaging in physical activity as a last resort.  Perhaps it was their physician who sent a fearful message. Or maybe the message was communicated by a family member, significant other, friend or even a glance in the mirror. Whatever it was that motivated them to start thinking about their physical health, it appears that each person I observed was saying to themselves, “why did I wait this long?” Although the good news is that they have taken the first step, or probably more accurately, picked up from where they left off several years ago.  The lesson I was reminded of is that simple errors in judgement in the short term will not hurt you today, but compounded over time will be devastating.  Simply adopting the philosophy of engaging is some form of rigorous exercise on a daily basis would likely have changed these individuals’ lives.  As someone who has grown up in athletics, you have the benefit of having lived some form of regimented life.  Don’t let that life get away from you.  Don’t wait until it is too late to try and find that mindset again.  Wake up tomorrow like it’s a game day and minimize the likelihood that you will one day have that look of desperation on your face.

The majority of people who have risen to the top have paid the price and sharpened their skills when the spot lights were turned off and they had nothing to rely on but their own internal drive.  That being said, I am certain that each of these individuals needed somebody to lean on when times got tough.  It could have been a team mate, a family member, a significant other or a close friend.  But make no mistake about it…we can not get to where we want to be without the support and encouragement of others.  Yes, you will have to provide the lion’s share of motivation, but believing that you can do it alone can lead you down a dark and lonely path.  We all need someone to not only encourage us, but to also make us aware when we are drifting off course.  Only strong minded and caring people are capable of giving such bold advice, so make sure you surround yourself with winners.  Not only will they provide you with words of inspiration when you desperately need them, but you can also draw motivation by watching them live their own lives. Research has shown that the primary reason young people get into trouble with the law is due to their poor choices in companions.  One would have to assume then that if you surround yourself with a team made up of people who share in your winning attitude, you will be ready to take on anything life can throw at you.

If I could impart one lesson to people who think having an athletic goal is reserved for physically gifted individuals it would be this: It is not about how skilled you become in your particular sport;  it is about how your sport shapes you as a human being. When that concept is accepted and embraced, you will begin to incorporate some form of physical exercise into your daily life and be reminded along the way that competitive athletics is a version of life’s rule book.  I have tried to remain conscious that success in any aspect of life comes from showing up every day with a positive attitude and despite inevitable setbacks, remain focused on a goal.  These words are preached at dinner tables and boardrooms throughout the world but probably had their origin in High School locker rooms.  As aging athletes it helps to remind ourselves that the end goal is no longer to make steady gains in our chosen method of staying fit, but to remain committed to the values we learned from sports. Daily exercise not only has it’s physical health benefits, but also provides us with lessons that spill over into our non-athletic worlds, keeping us focused on quality of a life that comes from a steady pursuit of excellence.

With each new year comes renewed commitment.  We reflect on the past year and examine the areas in which we could have done better.  We all have visions of transforming ourselves in some area and use the new year to mark the beginning or great things. The problem is that not long after we embark on this journey, we run into distractions that take us off the path of real change and eventually find the challenge too daunting. As a result we inevitably abandon our efforts altogether.  My advice is to set small attainable goals that require minimal effort but are conducive to steady improvement.  The first step is to simply commit to “showing up every day”. That means that no matter how minimal of an effort, you will do something on a daily basis to improve your physical health.  It may mean a set of push ups the moment you roll out of bed. It may mean getting off your chair at work at lunch time to knock out a set of sit ups.  My experience has shown me that a daily dose of physical movement works best.  Taking weekends off or an every other day routine does not work. I concede there will be days when getting a meaningful workout is impossible, but after a few months of your “show up every day” mindset, those missed days will be more scarce.  Before you know it, your change in the way you approach fitness will result in long lasting changes in  your physique, and you’ll be ready to approach each day like it’s a game day.

If there is one thing I have learned from my years in athletics is that “it is never over until it’s over”.  I have witnessed competitors mentally withdraw because they have pre-determined the outcome of the match. Conversely I have seen teams come back from seemingly insurmountable margins to win a game because they refused to concede to defeat.  Long after our competitive years are behind us, we can still benefit from this athletic lesson.  As we age we have the tendency to say, “my best years are behind me so why even compete”. That attitude will accelerate the mental and physical aging process and deprive us of enjoying life.  Simply “staying in the game” keeps open the door of opportunity for success that you could only have imagined.

It was never on my coach’s practice schedule, nor do i recall it appearing on any list of team or individual goals, but If I had to select the most important lesson I learned from competitive athletics it would be hard to argue against this; the ability to face my fears head-on.  Athletes are placed in competitive situations day in and day out. They are consistently being asked to give more of themselves than they thought possible and as a result the fear of failure is ever present. Coupled with the challenge of not meeting your own personal goals, there is always an adversary out there that causes you some concern. Whether it be an entire team or that one particular athlete who “has your number” athletes are thrown into situations and given no choice but to compete.  Over time the practice of repeatedly taking on frightening situations had a powerful impact on my personal development.  I learned that win or lose character had been built.  Today as I encounter real life situations that give me reason to pause, I am more likely to go directly at them rather than run in the other direction. I like to think that growing up in the world of competitive athletics gave me a comfort level with confrontation and made it more likely for me to face life’s challenges head-on.

We all know a person who was born with immeasurable talent but lacked a crucial ingredient necessary to propel them to success. We say to ourselves “if only I had been blessed with that ability; oh the places I would have gone”.  The hallways of high schools and colleges are filled with gifted athletes who for some reason either chose to not compete or failed to make their teams.  I believe that one of those missing intangible traits is humility. It takes a humble person to accept constructive criticism and be open to change. A humble person is a better team player and willing to use their skills for the good of the group. When someone is born with natural ability, hustle and a strong work ethic aren’t necessary for them to remain competitive. Hustle isn’t pretty or flashy and many who are blessed with talent can simply show up and be effective. But in order to rise to the top of any field, they will need to combine their talent with an unselfish commitment to the success of their team. As adults we can see this concept play out in the work place and in personal relationships.  Keeping in mind the importance of humility will enable us to accept advice from bosses, loved ones and friends.  This is another example of how lessons learned from competitive athletics can help us acquire important tools that prepare us for the rest of our lives.

The great heavy weight fighter Muhammad Ali is quoted as saying ”I hated every minute of training, but I said ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and spend the rest of your life as a champion.’” That quote sums up how I approach my workouts today.  In spite of the joy that comes from pushing myself in my quest to achieve my goals, I have to admit that training often times feels more like misery than pleasure. I have to remind myself that the pain and inconvenience that comes from today’s workout is a down payment on tomorrow’s reward. I don’t want to look back some day and wonder how different my life would be had I just “suffered” a little bit each day; Paid a price that others weren’t willing to pay. When we competed in organized athletics our workout schedule was laid out for us. The intensity level and frequency of our workouts were determined and supervised by someone else. Today we don’t have that luxury. We have to utilize our athletic minds and be disciplined enough to schedule and follow through on daily commitments.  I know that this isn’t always easy to accomplish, but I keep my sights focused on the older version of myself that will someday be grateful that I treated each day like a game day.

We all reach a point in our training life when an ache or a pain forces us to consider giving up on our workout schedule.  When faced with an injury, especially as we reach middle age,  maintaining a daily workout routine seems unrealistic and downright daunting.   When I have reached that point, I simply focus on accomplishing today’s task and worry about tomorrow’s workout tomorrow. The road ahead seems far less ominous when all you have to worry about is your next workout.  Don’t look further ahead than that.  If pain is present (which more often than not will be the case) just make modifications that will enable you complete a training session with as little discomfort as possible. Eventually your injury will heal and the road back to full strength will be quicker because you never completely stopped training.  Let’s face it, injuries are inevitable and working out with some form of pain is going to be more common as the years go by. It’s the mental toughness that you developed during your days of competitive athletics that will get you through these challenging times; because you are part of an elite group who “can’t hang it up” and refuses to throw in the towel.

When I was immersed in HS and Collegiate basketball, I focused on the next game and how my training was preparing me for those events.  Now 25 years later, I realize that I was also laying the foundation for my life’s a source of peace and spirituality.  The challenges of every day life can be overwhelming and anxiety has a way of sneaking up on you. I spent many years searching for ways to manage the buildup of worry and have come to the conclusion that for me the answer is physical activity.  There is something about a great workout that enables me to reconnect with the version of me who lives within my soul…The person that no matter what the calendar says; remains ageless, vibrant and driven. And once complete, I feel reconnected to a higher power and grateful for the blessing of having grown up an athlete.