Our bodies are powerful instruments, but they have limitations that may dictate how we live our lives.
Athletes know all too well about physical and psychological barriers. Their bodies and minds are molded with time into the most effective shape for their sport allowed by personal genetics. Even more so do athletes competing with a disability. They push the limits of their condition day in and day out. So what can be learned from such superhuman efforts that could help in our everyday lives?
Take a critical look at your limitations
First, we need to recognize our limitations, and second…
Athletes fail on a daily basis, in practices and in competition. Let me repeat it. Athletes fail… all the time… every day… day after day. From minor mistakes perfecting a move to major collapses on and off the field, these failures put athletes in a vulnerable make-it-or break-it place throughout their careers. The position of each part of the body–from a toe to the tip of the nose–must be so precise that a deviation by a fraction of an inch can make a difference between a solid landing or a painful fall.
Until perfection is mastered to a point of…
My observations are based on personal experiences and those of fellow athletes who I was fortunate to meet in sports arenas and in courtrooms. Across different sports, nationalities, races, ages and genders, they all share certain characteristics that make their stories unique yet relevant to our everyday lives. What makes athletes to choose fighting and why? What character traits help them get up after a fall and carry on? Some answers may be surprising and enlightening.
I am a sports lawyer and a former professional figure skater. It has been over fifteen years since the last time I laced my…
Gorsha Sur
Sports Lawyer, Former Pro Ice Skater, Author of The Sports Lawyer Diaries: reflections on athletes’ essential character traits, motivations and life choices.
