How Elite American Athletes Protect Their Mental Health
Tried and tested strategies for you to steal
The harshest lesson I’ve ever learned so is:
Your physical health dictates everything in life. And your mental health dictates your physical health.
In the last couple of years, I achieved some of my wildest goals and ended up unhappy because my health wasn’t in the right place.
You don’t need to make the same mistake.
Learn from elite athletes about how to protect your mental health.
Even The GOAT Needs Help
Micheal Phelps was on top of the world.
Inside his mind though, he was at rock bottom.
He’s the most successful and decorated Olympian of all time. Yet after every Olympic games, he’d fall into a state of depression.
Throughout his glittering career, Phelps has struggled mentally.
He’d gotten a DUI, been pictured doing drugs, and eventually ended up in a psych ward after the London Games in 2012.
This — this is the real price of ignoring mental health issues.
After 2012, Phelps didn’t want to live anymore, let alone compete again.
Micheal’s comeback story seems like a fairytale — from contemplating suicide after the 2012 Olympics to retiring after the 2016 Rio Olympics as the GOAT in both the sport of swimming and the Olympics as a whole, winning a staggering 28 gold medals in the process.
In reality, it is anything but a fairytale.
If he hadn’t gotten help, the world probably would’ve lost Micheal way too soon.
Even the greats need help. Professional help, even if it’s just therapy — can help you more than you can help yourself alone.
Leave your ego aside and ask for help.
If elite athletes and high achievers with resilient minds need help, what makes us mere mortals think we don’t?
How Lebron Relieves Pressure
The year was 2011, and Lebron James was in a bad place.
He’d just made a move from the Cleveland Cavaliers to Miami Heat. Lebron had handled the move away from his boyhood club as badly as he possibly could’ve.
He’d announced during a TV special in July 2010 called ‘The Decision’ that he was leaving to create a ‘superteam’ in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
This move drew ire not just from Cavs fans but also from all NBA fans in general.
To make matters worse, the Heat got cooked in the 2011 NBA finals in which Lebron flopped massively.
That’s when he first realized the importance of mental health and mental toughness.
Today, Lebron is famous for doing breathing work and quick meditations during games in timeouts and breaks.
The main way he deals with the pressure and tensions that life brings though is stupidly simple.
He surrounds himself with the right people.
Before a big game these days, LeBron always has his friends or family around — people whom he can talk to and release all the pressure.
When asked about what advice he’d give to his younger self, Lebron says:
I would tell my younger self just to make sure to communicate, let it be known how you are feeling and talk about things
Surely, Lebron has got something right. As he enters his 23rd year in the league, his astonishing longevity is credited to how well he takes care of himself.
When we’re going through tough times mentally, our immediate coping mechanism can be to isolate ourselves and stay in our little bubble.
Self-care doesn't have to be done alone in your room, it can also mean communicating with your loved ones about how you’re feeling.
Think about how uncomfortable you’d be if you didn’t take a dump every day.
Why would you ever put your mind through that then?
It’s not easy. Mental health issues can be isolating. You don’t feel like talking to anyone.
So start small:
- Meet a friend every weekend, if this is too much for you right now…
- Schedule virtual catch-ups with your loved ones which you can do from the comfort of your own room, if this is too much as well…
- Simply text people first, take the lead and start conversations on text, or just voice note your loved ones to catch up
Get out of your head.
Don’t live inside your head all the time. It’s an insidious thing because it can feel comfortable but it’s the worst thing you can do to your mental health.
More Valuable Than Gold
All the world’s eyes were on her.
She came to the Tokyo Olympics as the most decorated gymnast in the history of the World Championships.
Right before the finals of the team event, midway through the Tokyo Olympics, Simon Biles withdrew.
If I was in her shoes, I’m not sure if I’d have the courage to prioritize my mental health over an Olympic gold medal.
Winners never quit and quitters never win — Vince Lombardi. That’s bullshit.
Sometimes winning is quitting.
Our heart keeps us alive but our mind keeps us going.
Yet we forget how important mental health is. We forget that without it, we can’t do anything and be who we want to be.
Elite performers operate at a high level because they know when to push themselves and when to pull back to protect their mental health.
If your mind is not in the right place, no amount of gold is going to make you happy. Just ask all the miserable millionaires.
Think long term. To have a successful career that spans years, you have to sacrifice days and weeks in the short term sometimes.
Working hard makes you go fast. But less work and more rest make you go long.
Do you want one gold medal or do you want 28 like Phelps? Do you want to perform at an elite level only now or for the 23 years like Lebron? Do you want to be a role model for mental health like Simone or be a miserable gold medallist?
You know the right answer. You know what to do.
Great strength lies in taking a step back sometimes.
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