Why is it that we tend to only think of people who are famous as ______________. Picasso was a famous artist. But do you paint? I’d say you’re an artist.

Aretha Franklin is a famous singer. Do you have a good voice and ever perform for others? I’d say you’re a singer.

Rick Bayless is a famous chef (of Mexican food no less!). Do you cook delicious meals? You’re a chef.

Anthony Davis is a famous athlete. Do you bike, or run, or kayak, do home fitness programs, swim, or CrossFit or ___________? Then I’d say you’re an athlete.

For some reason, we have this qualifier that you have to be famous or be paid to do X in order to be X. That’s just not the case. Here’s what Dictionary.com has to say about the matter:

ath·lete   [ath-leet]   noun
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.

By the way, working out is not confined solely to doing fitness programs like P90X or Body Beast or traditional sports like running and swimming. Dancers workout when they dance. Walkers workout when they’re walking. Ice skaters when they skate. And so on. So if you’re doing any of these sort of things consistently, while you may not be “gifted” in them but you are “training.” And you’re most certainly “participating” in an “exercise”. So by definition you… are… an… athlete.

And it’s time to starting thinking this way. Why think like an athlete? For one, thinking like an athlete builds confidence. I hate hate hate negative self-talk. When you think of yourself as an athlete and therefore like an athlete, there’s no room for negative self-talk. Golfers are trained to visualize the path the ball will travel on its way into the cup. Basketball players are trained to visualize the ball going through the basket before they shoot it. This positive reinforcement has been scientifically proven to help. Likewise, I want you to have positive reinforcement about yourself and that starts with seeing yourself as an athlete.

When you think of yourself as an athlete and therefore like an athlete, there’s no room for negative self-talk.

Secondly, when you start thinking like an athlete, you start treating your body as an athlete would. And I’m not only referring to exercise. I’m referring to nutrition. You must learn to eat right. You wouldn’t put salt water in the gas tank of your Ferrari. Why put nasty junk in your body, which is infinitely more complex and valuable than that expensive Ferrari of yours. That’s why a great meal replacement drink like Shakeology is so important. That’s why you should be drinking plenty of water. That’s why you should cut back on too many treats and when you’re eating out, learn how to eat out the healthy way.

I’m also referring to rest. I’ve heard it said that overtraining by 10% is far worse than under-training by 10%. I believe it. In fact, I believe that sleep determines 10% of your overall fitness level (60% is nutrition and 30% is exercise). 10% may not sound like much but your body is doing vitally important things in your sleep. Your tissue growth and repair occur in your sleep. Energy is restored. Your immune system is bolstered. Muscles relax, repair, and grow. The list goes on. So think like an athlete and get proper sleep and take rest days.

Finally, as an athlete, you have an excuse to buy the cool workout clothes you want but don’t think you’re worthy of.

So here’s the takeaway:

YOU are an athlete! Think like one. Eat like one. Rest like one. Bling like one. 

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