Diversify

I’m not a financial advisor, nor do I pretend to be - I’m far from it. However, I can say what I’ve heard through-out my life, over and over is to diversify my investments. The same holds true for my identity as an athlete.

If I put all my resources into one thing, like a stock, and it gets wiped out by some sort of financial crisis - then I don’t have anything left.

Now, if I go all all in as an athlete and put little energy into other parts of my life, and that one thing gets wiped out lets say by an injury, or an illness, or a coach doesn’t pick me for a team, or I am forced to retire from sport. Then I don’t have much left to fall back on.

At different times in our lives we may put more emphasis on a part of our identity just like we might have more emphasis on stocks versus bonds.

The idea is that you are more than one thing, that protects you when things get rough…and they will.

A great example of someone creating this protective layer (at least in my opinion and outside observation) is Nils van der Poel.

Nils is a Swedish speed skater and reigning world and Olympic 5000m and 10000m speed skating champion. He wrote an essay on his intense training regimen and made it available to anyone who wants to study it: ‘How to Skate a 10K.’ What stood out, was not just his intense training, but his recovery. Nils took two days off a week no matter the time of year he was training and, during those two days he focused on the other parts of himself outside of sport, in essence, diversifying his identity. This created not just a protective layer, but gave him the focused recovery and likely preventing burnout from the sport.

This is a great demonstration that even if you’re an professional or Olympic athlete, taking a little time and energy to diversify is going to go a long way to protect yourself and prepare for the long term allowing you the focus necessary to perform at such a high level and intensity.

Create space outside of your sport. Find time to connect with friends that aren’t your ‘running friends.’ Find time to work on the other parts of yourself - for some that may be art, music, or spending time with your family. Even just a little investment will help you prevent that foreclosure on on your identity. It will help prevent burnout, help you recover, and help you when times get rough.

And remember…even if the seas are rough and you haven’t put the energy into diversifying - there’s no better time than now to get started!