Redefine Yourself

From 30 Thoughts for a Victorius Triathlete - Redefine Yourself

If you’re saying to yourself “I can’t do that”, it’s time to re-invent your identity. Change your physiological state that will change your identity. Change the way you carry yourself, the way you train, the way you dress. You are an athlete. Change your identity to someone who can ac­complish a triathlon goal. It’s a powerful force.

This topic, “Redefine Yourself” causes most experienced triathlete’s to immediately dredge up thoughts of their own beginnings. Yes, even tri legends like Dave Scott, Mark Allen, and Chrissie Wellington were beginners at one time. Hard as it may be to imagine, these three were very different, both physically and mentally, prior to their triathlon careers. Mark Allen was a biology student at U.C. San Diego. Scott’s athletic roots in high school were in water polo. Wellington was an advisor for the British government. Three different world class athletes all coming from a non-triathon background, and you can be sure that even they had to redefine themselves once they found themselves at mile 1 in the ocean with a pack of flailing arms and legs ready to beat them down. So exactly how does one redefine oneself?

Verbal Inspiration

If you are one of the many triathlete’s who still have the phrase “I can’t do that” reverberating in your head, start with finding some inspiration. One of the best quotes you can start with comes from author Marianne Williamson -    "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?”

Role Models

You can also look for inspiration in such triathlete role models like Scott Rigsby (www.scottrigsby.com) to help you redefine yourself as a triathlete. Rigsby lost both of his legs in a traffic accident while he was an adolescent, only to go on to complete the Iron Man World Championships on two high tech prosthesis! Talk about having to redefine himself! If Rigsby, seemingly an invalid, can recreate himself as an Iron Man triathlete, can you on two healthy legs?

A Natural Metamorphosis

One thing that will help redefine yourself as a triathlete is that the process is a natural metamorphosis. That is, as you consistently direct the time, effort, and energy into becoming a competent triathlete, you will slowly but surely notice not only a beautiful, healthy, fit change in your physiology, but also in how you carry yourself and think with more focus and confidence, and as the above quote states, “That is a powerful force!”