You can be an athlete if you want.
For a while, I had trouble calling myself a runner. I thought, “I run, but I’m not a runner because I don’t run as fast as other people I know and I haven’t completed a lot of races.”
My mindset shifted when I started to exercise, to stretch, and to strengthen to better my running. The big lightbulb moment was when I saw significant improvements in my running capabilities. I would tear up out of pure joy every time I tacked another mile onto my long run or when I finished a tough run workout – one I was doubting before I hit the pavement.
A lot of us have imposter syndrome when it comes to labeling ourselves as X or Y. For example, calling yourself an entrepreneur because you have a side hustle, identifying as a runner because you run weekly, recognizing your value in the workplace because you’re good at what you do – and so on.
This brings us to the discussion: You can be an athlete if you want.
Definition of an athlete
a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina (Merriam Webster)
a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill (Dictionary.com)
a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance; athletes may be professionals or amateurs (Wikipedia)
Some commonalities you might notice here are that an athlete is a person, has physical strength, has agility, and has stamina. A person is you – a human being. Physical strength is the state of being strong (i.e. able to move heavy objects or perform demanding tasks). Agility is the ability to move quickly and easily while stamina is the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort.
One notion that is up for debate is whether or not a person needs to participate in an organized competition to be considered an athlete. In a year full of virtual races and at-home fitness solutions – it feels less and less like a requirement.
Setting the competition requirement aside, maybe you’re thinking, “I am a person, I can perform demanding tasks like running, I can do fast jumping jacks with ease, and I can survive a 60-minute cardio workout. Does that make me an athlete?” It does if you want it to.
But, something important is missing from the definitions I found:
emotional wellbeing and happiness
satisfaction
Being an athlete doesn’t necessarily mean that a person is of optimal health. Sure, many professional athletes care deeply about nutrition and mindfulness – especially in this day and age – but that wasn’t always the case (if you’ve seen The Last Dance, you know). There are some bigger questions here thought: When we label ourselves as X or Y, does it make us happier? Does it improve our health or overall wellbeing? Do we feel satisfied once we iron that patch onto our jackets? The answers could be yes, but they also might be no. When we energetically seek out one thing, other things often get left behind. A heightened focus on X or Y sometimes leads us to forget A, B, and all the letters before that. When we narrow our sights on one thing, we don’t see the bigger picture.
I think that’s one of the problems with labels in general. There’s power in identifying ourselves as an animal activist, Asian American, a runner, transgender, and so on. It makes us feel like we’re a part of something. Groups of people banding together for a collective cause get sh*t done – we know that. If a label brings value to you and those around you then, yes, call yourself what you wish, but don’t put yourself into a tiny box. Think bigger than the four walls around you. How can labeling yourself as an athlete provide value to you and those around you?
By calling myself a runner and an athlete I…
feel confident.
feel mentally strong.
feel focused.
am motivated to take care of my body with recovery activities.
am motivated to fuel my body with nutritious foods.
am want to help those around me move their bodies.
love to motivate others to try new things.
want to move with others.
appreciate my enviroment.
want to take care of the planet.
Now, your turn. Grab a notebook, open your notes app, or comment below: How could defining yourself as a runner or athlete provide value to you and others?