Understanding Athletes

There is a small percentage of us that get to compete nationally, train at the Olympic Training Center, and enjoy the spotlight at an early age. I was a hard-core athlete until I retired from being an Elite rhythmic gymnast after my freshman year at Georgetown, because I knew I did not want to be a professional athlete and that there was too much risk in taking a year off to train for the Olympic trials. Instead, I focused on becoming a lawyer, but it was not an easy shift to give up this huge part of my identity. To this day, many of my former classmates write to me and say that whenever they watch the Olympic gymnasts they think of me. It is amazing that 20 years post-retirement, I still have people asking me if I'm involved at all in my former sport. Just to be clear-- I made a clean break when I retired, but the ability to perform and put up with major pressures are skills that have lasted me a lifetime. My former athletic abilities are clearly tied to my ability to watch what I eat, be disciplined about getting enough sleep and exercise, never experimenting with drugs, and being goal-oriented. I'm not afraid to go on tv or radio, give public speeches, or share my thoughts through publications and the social media. Clearly some of America's best trainers played a huge part in making me who I am today, but I want to make sure people understand that it all comes at a hefty price. I did not have a normal childhood-- I was not well-grounded-- I was addicted to external validation-- I sought overall perfection and was very impatient with others not wired like me-- I was intense and way too addicted to adrenaline rushes. It is only by becoming a mother and finding my family that I have finally become more grounded, and the external validation has lost its appeal. I've found a patience I never knew I was capable of, and I've learned a value in taming in the adrenaline-junkie inside me. Employers love hiring athletes, and in the dating world many are attracted to certain qualities that we possess, but those around us need to remember that everything comes at a price. There were huge voids in my life that I was trying to fill, and only over time, following some life-altering experiences did I learn how some of my strengths could also be a weakness. It is particularly hilarious to me that my son said to me the other day, "you know mommy, you wouldn't be a top lawyer if you didn't have me." He has no idea how true those words are, but one day I'm sure he will realize how grateful I am for becoming more human as a result of him.