To the struggling athlete,

I understand you. Maybe not everything that you are going through, but I understand how difficult it can be to pursue your sport at a high level. Before the hours upon hours of training took over your life, you had time to hang out with friends and your schedule was not overly structured. And then you fell in love with the sport. You may not have loved the pain all of the time, but there was a feeling of accomplishment whenever you reached a goal you thought you never would or how you survived a hell practice that you thought you wouldn't.

You are most likely in a rut or plateau where you have not seen any improvement in a long time. You have probably considered quitting, thinking it will be so much easier if you had one less thing to have to do on your schedule. Before you do that, I want you to take a long time to reflect on this decision. Yes, the sport has consumed you and made you the person you are at this very moment. And that is what I want you to reflect on. It has made you into the person you are. Think about how different your life would have been if you had not continued with the sport and opted for another. Think about the different people you would have met. You may have even chosen a different career and school.

Take a moment to think back to when you started. You came into your first practice all bright-eyed and excited to have fun. Unfortunately over time stress builds up and sacrifices are made so your sport loses its fun aspect. It still has times that are fun and times where you need to be more serious.

Before you quit, think about what got you started. Have you accomplished everything you wanted to in the sport? Is it worth possibly giving up the relationships, team trips, and memories? Take a moment and think about what you truly want to do and what will make you happy in the long run. This sport has helped to make you who you are. Your accomplishments do not define the person you are, however. They are experiences and small moments.

One of the most valuable things I did when I wanted to quit was go back to the basics. As a swimmer, I focused on techniques and made myself relearn the strokes. I worked on my off strokes to take pressure off of my specialty. I focused on little improvements and not the times. I also looked back on what truly made me the happiest in the sport and made sure that I was doing it for me and not for anyone else.

Sometimes you just need to take a few steps back to gain perspective. It is just as important to have a good mental state just like being properly conditioned. Take time for you and make sure you are doing it for you. It is your life and you should do everything you wish to do with passion.