In order to succeed as an athlete in any activity, mental well-being is equally as important as physical fitness. Taking care of one’s mind and body is essential for succeeding at the greatest level of sport, regardless of one’s status as an emerging athlete or a multi-medallist at the Olympics and other international competitions.
According to Dr. Aashish Contractor, a sports medicine specialist, mental wellness is “the bedrock upon which all athletic performance rests.”
It’s important to realize that an athlete’s physical and mental toughness both contribute to their strength. Dr. Contractor, the director of the Department of Rehab, Medicine, and Sports Medicine at the Sir H.N. Reliance cornerstone Hospital, said, “The foundation of all athletic performance is mental health.”
It enables athletes to overcome obstacles encountered during training, overcome setbacks, and surpass their own limitations. Just as much as we train our bodies, we also need to train our minds.
This lesson is applicable to everyone, athlete or not: taking care of your mental health should come first. For a balanced, healthier existence, embrace the journey of mental fitness with the same fervor as physical fitness, said Dr. Contractor.
A pause was beneficial. Kohli
Numerous instances from the world of sports demonstrate how important mental health is to athletes. For example, cricket great Virat Kohli gave quit the sport in 2022 after his batting form had reached an all-time low and he hadn’t made a century in three years. That year, he made his T20I century when he finally got back into the game in the Asia Cup.
Ben Stokes, the captain of England’s Test team, and Glenn Maxwell, the top all-rounder for Australia, are two more elite cricket players who took time out from the game to focus on their mental health and are still winning matches today.
Beyond cricket, the most well-known instance of a top athlete pausing to attend to their mental health is the renowned American gymnast Simone Biles.
Following an incredible run at the Rio Olympics in 2016, where she took home four gold medals and one bronze, Biles withdrew from most of the events five years later in Tokyo due to a mental illness known as the “twisties.” As a result, she only took home one silver and one bronze in that event.
“You kind of freak out if you’re in a high-stress situation,” Biles said. “I must prioritize my mental well-being and avoid endangering my physical or overall health.”
The 27-year-old won three gold and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics earlier this year after deciding to take a break from the sport for a while.
There’s likely a lesson for all of us in the way Biles handled the entire thing. When things get hard, it’s okay to walk aside for a while. Some people find that it’s necessary to get ready and adopt a new perspective, and this is what enabled the American gymnast to make an incredible return.
