The athlete in us all

Have you ever experienced that feeling of amazing strength or inspiration? Feeling like you can conquer anything and everything that you put your mind to.

I know there are some days when I am headed to the gym and I know I have to force myself to go. Then there are other days and times where I can’t wait to get into my workout as I am feeling super strong and fired up.

Then there are the other times when I am inspired to write, work, get after a long-overdue project and there is nothing that can stand in my way of getting it done.

Athletes experience this phenomenon too. We see it in the stellar individual and team performances in every sport as we watch from the stands or on television. And we watch with a fan’s frustration when our favorite athlete or team shows up with a less-than-motivated attitude or performance.

You see, there is an athlete in us all. I love the cute commercial running on television right now about the kids who are mathletes. It is awesome because there are people who excel in academics and could be considered a top athlete in mathematics, history, music, science, or a foreign language. They bring their “A” game to every class and each and every project or homework assignment.

How about the athletic parents who have the ability to juggle kids, jobs, carpooling, cooking, cleaning, and leading a family? I have met some amazing athletes when it comes to parenting, folks who survive on little sleep and seem to keep it all in check. 

We can witness the athleticism in almost every profession we can think of, like doctors, teachers, policemen, firemen, nurses, chefs, sales people, etc. So what do mathletes, parents, and all of the other proud professions out there have in common with athletes? Well, the successful athletes, the ones we love to watch play their game, capture our attention with their outstanding ability because they have taken the time to plan, prepare, practice, work out, identify weaknesses and develop them into strengths, and go the extra mile, putting in the additional effort that the competition leaves out.

I really believe there is an athlete of some sort in every one of us, maybe not the kind that we see in the gym, at the Olympics or in any other of our other favorite sports, but an athlete nonetheless. Maybe you’re a momthlete, a dadthlete, a salesthlete, a nursethlete, or an entreprenuerthlete and you practice your craft, hone your skills, work on your pre-game plan, and then execute when called upon. And you know that the top athletes make it to their championship event and maybe even their respective hall of fame through hard work, discipline, and dedication.

So if you ever get that feeling like you can conquer the world, your strength and stamina are high, and you are truly inspired to do something, don’t put it off or dismiss it, take it as a sign to get busy bringing out your inner athlete.

I would love to hear all about the athlete in you at gotonorton@gmail.com and I just know that this will be a better than good week.

Michael Norton, a resident of Highlands Ranch, is the former president of the Zig Ziglar organization and CEO and founder of www.candogo.com.