Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Slow Swimming and Self-esteem

Why is it that we equate speed in athletic activities with self-esteem? The average age-group althlete isn't being paid to be fast. Unless you are an elite althlete, someone is always faster than you. For some of us, almost everyone is faster than us.

In triathlons, I am almost always last out of the water. I didn't take up swimming until later in life and I have been working on technique for years. I swim four hours a week with a masters group, drill until I am blue in the face, take lessons and clinics and I am still slow. I have improved enormously, but I still feel bad that I can't swim as fast as everyone else.

Maybe it's a pyschological issue. We feel we won't be valued unless we do well.
Most people are by nature competitive whether they admit it or not. We feel bad if we can't swim, bike or run faster than someone else even if we trained hard and are working at our physical limit. While competitiveness is not necessarily a bad thing, it clouds our perception of what we are accomplishing sometimes. Sometimes it compels us to do the best we can in an effort to outdo someone else, other times it crushes our spirit.

The problem with equating performance with self-esteem is when you don't do well and start thinking that you never do well or improve and you give up. Supposedly, the goal is to compete with yourself and not worry about everyone else. Easier said than done.

When it comes down to it, we are what we are. You have to work with and accept your limitations and celebrate your small victories. And swim really slow.

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