Thinking Aloud. Care to join me?

24 years old star Olympian gymnast, Simone Biles from America, quit in the middle of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics citing mental health. She won 4 Gold medals in 2016 Rio Olympics.

When this news filtered in, the first question that struck me was, “They are the fittest of them all! They have 10 coaches to look after them. They are the best. What challenges they have that they have to withdraw from a global event?” And at the same time, it occurred to me that the whole world knows that they are the best but what does it take for them to remain the best and live up to this sheer weight of expectation is a fight not often talked about?

I went online and found that as high as 45% top athletes including Olympians across the world are struggling with Mental health problem. And that brings me to my other concern – the breathtaking maddening record that we see year on year set by Olympic players comes with a cost none of us are aware of.

I followed the daily routine of a few of them and was surprised and stunned at the same time. Did you know that their water-intake too is regimented? I did not know that at all, and I can’t say that the idea is sitting very comfortably with me.

 There are price tags attached to the choices we make in every form of life and along with that comes the demand for sacrifices :

 -The price of excellence and the drive for it.

-The price of more.

-The price of tooth and nail competition.

-The price to thrive.

These days we talk about happiness too like it is a competition. Who is happier than whom? Social Media pages bear a testimony to the slug. I understand a healthy appetite for everything but Nadia Comaneci, Michael Phelps, Ben Stokes and now Simone Biles are asking us questions we have long tried to avoid in our own quest for more.

 -The ‘more,’ is it worth it?

-How much ‘more’ is more..

-And when is it enough?

Olympics is not just a carnival of games, but a celebration of excellence. And celebration of excellence in you and I cannot come by chasing that pin-point white light at the target. Rather it must be a wholesome rainbow that we are after. Tipping the balance does not work and there are testimonies now that are coming forth of how heavily the balance is tipped. We are making the quest for all things materially heavier than the quest for life and well-being. We are making a medal heavier than our sportsperson’s life inspiring stories that chiseled them just right to be able to represent our country in such an August platform. That striving needs to be celebrated. Resilience is not all about toughness and persevering at all costs, it is about continuous recharging and prioritizing our mental well-being. It’s about persevering with a purpose and recognizing when we need to pivot or take a step back.

I would like to cheer our athletes and sports persons from a place where they know that they are winners already, and that they are celebrated. What they deserve from us is pride and positivity. What they do not deserve is criticism and negativity.

I think it’s time we start acknowledging their extra-ordinary lives they have lived and learn, instead of focusing too much on counting medals and having a close eye on leaderboard.

I understand that these questions are making some of us uncomfortable. I am floating issues that’s outside our known orbit. I think it is good. Being Uncomfortable is good. I think it’s time we start asking these questions, because if not now, when?

Simon Biles action have sent a strong reminder to all of us “ Your mental health and well-being come first, even on the world’s biggest stage “.

Like I said, I am just thinking aloud. Care to join me? 

The views expressed in the blog is purely mine and do not represent the opinions of any entity whatsoever with which I have been, am now or will be affiliated.