The Life of the College Athlete: How Current Students Are Redefining Mental Toughness, Challenging Their Limiting Beliefs, and Trying to Find Balance Between Self-Care and Team Commitment
Yes! Today we’re getting to the core of our college sports series: current and former student athletes themselves. In today’s episode we talk to current athletes on what the college experience is like for them. And we’re going to guess that a lot of the things they spoke about will sound familiar to anyone who feels the multi-pronged pressure of college life. Simply switch out “sports” for “job” or “scholarship requirements” or “advocacy,” to name a few.
We’ve heard a lot of students talk about the college triangle, with sleep, studying and friends each on a separate point. And in the game of college, you can only choose two. Such is campus life these days. But for student athletes it’s more of a square: sleep, studying, friends, and practice…and competing. Ok, maybe it’s a hexagon. No wonder we’re seeing a rise in anxiety and depression among college athletes. In this episode, we asked each student the same questions: What does it feel like to put on your uniform?How do you define mental toughness?Do you have any limiting beliefs?How do you cope with burnout?What’s your relationship with perfectionism?And you know we love to talk about dialectics. The athletes shared some of the opposing truths they try to navigate day-to-day, such as:* how to enjoy a time of newfound independence while being told what to eat, when to wake up, and what classes to take* I need to put myself first and I need to put my team first* I know I’m more than a number, and my ranking/score/stats often define my success. One thing was clear across all the answers. These students kick ass. Ok, more specifically, these students are bravely redefining what it means to kick ass. To them, mental toughness includes words like “flexibility.” They show up for their team, even when that means cheering from the bench. And they’re actively fighting back thoughts that keep them stuck. Liz and I take these discussions and expand on:* how to untangle perfectionism from motivation and peak performance* key tips on how to notice burnout starting before you’re already fried to a crisp* ways to diversify your “activity diet” so that you can keep perspective.
In next week’s episode we’ll talk to former athletes (whether by choice or not) and how they’ve found ways to shift their identity from “student athlete” to “student.” RESOURCES:A short video which discusses how to balance out your “activity diet” using the Healthy Mind Platter:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ_m9rkIcak Morgan’s Message™ Foundation and the Mental Matchup and Podcast:https://www.morgansmessage.org/the-mental-matchup-podcastWant to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.
