6 Challenges Professional Athletes Encounter

Professional athletes encounter lots of untold challenges. As an athlete, the world sees you as someone who’s had it all figured out. To them, all you have to do is run, sprint, jump, swim, or perform specific moves based on the nature of your sport, and make money. 

The assumptions that you have it all figured out isn’t fair. And until they take a tour in your daily life, people can’t understand the challenges you face in the course of your career. 

Yes, being an individual professional athlete does come with its perks. These include flexible training and competition choices, bigger earning potential, absolute control over your career, getting the support of your loyal fans, families, and friends.

But in this article, we shall highlight 6 challenges all professional athletes face in their journey. 

Challenges professional athletes Encounter

1. Work-life balance

Many professional athletes almost do not know what it means to spend time with family and friends anymore. Or go out on a travel spree and have some time off. Even when they attempt these activities, their minds keep wandering back to their passion.

While this sounds like a deep love for their sport, their inability to be in the present and cut out all forms of career thought infiltration in their moments can be a problem in their life.

Having a healthy balance between your sport life and real life is key. When you’re playing, you’re playing, when you’re bonding with family, do it completely. 

2. Pressure to deliver

This is a common pressure among athletes. There is an untold pressure in you to deliver on your targets, to be the best version of yourself. This is a good challenge to have, I must say, but at the same time, it can be mind crippling. 

Take for example, the night before a major sports event, you as a partaker in such an event can become restless all through to the day of the event. Anxiety creeps in, sometimes, even doubts.

And not just that one night, but every time you have a major event to partake in. These are some of the challenges you don’t often get to talk about as a professional athlete.

3. Money

Being a team athlete means a lot of things are being taken care of. These include health insurance, allowances, etc. The same cannot be said for individual athletes, especially beginners who face financial constraint in elevating their career. 

Unlike team athletes, beginner individual athletes wing things on their own and bear the risks all alone. Some of them consider throwing in the towel when they can’t keep up with funding.

4. Mental health

As a professional athlete, you’re at the mercy of stress, anxiety, and even depression. All of these stem from the constant pressure that comes with being an athlete. It’s a problem you have to deal with almost all the time. No one gets used to mental health issues, but there are proven ways you can manage them. 

5. Staying fit and healthy

Your body is constantly under fire from stretching or performing other strenuous activities your support entails. These can result in either internal or external injuries, or both.

If not properly treated, you might experience chronic pain in parts of your body even long after you retire as a professional athlete.

6. Nutrition

Finally, as an athlete, there are certain foods prescribed for you by sports nutritionists. They are essential foods that contain nutrients that help build your body the right way. This means your favorite calorie-loaded food has to go; a sacrifice you’ll have to make if you’re going to stay healthy and follow through with your passion. 

You can indulge yourself once in a while though. Just be ready to burn the calories all up with rigorous training afterwards.

How to Overcome Challenges as a Professional Athlete

A professional athlete encounter challenges in the course of their career, but you must stay strong mentally and physically to overcome them. Below are some of the important training you can give yourself when you are getting overwhelmed with challenges.

Develop a winning mindset

As athlete, bearing in mind that everything happens for a reason, as it’s only a matter of time before you go back to your winning days will come handy for you. The down moments will come, but don’t let it dampen your spirit. See every challenge as an opportunity to grow. The outcome is 50-50; it’s either you win or you don’t. If you win, it’s your victory, own. If you don’t, learn from it.

Practice positive talk

The wonders of positive self talk is it fills your subconscious in bits until challenges don’t feel like challenges anymore. In a way, you’re providing strength to your mental health. It doesn’t work immediately, but each time you talk positively to yourself, you close the doubt vacuum making you see nothing but a growth opportunity in challenges.

Embrace your challenge

Accept challenges when they come your way. Don’t fret. Don’t find shortcut to dealing with it. Accepting it helps you settle down and think of a solution. The good thing about overcoming a challenge yourself or with the help of a friend is when such challenge occurs again, you have a proven approach to tackle it.

Create a support system

Some professional athletes encounter the challenge of having to handle everything themselves. This can have its toll on them eventually. Don’t be lone wolf. Build a support system of family, friends, or colleagues who understand how demanding your sports life can be. These set of people are in the best position to provide you with support when you need it. Be sure to ask for honest feedback as this will help you under what you need to do better as an athlete.

Be sure to reciprocate their support when they need you too.

Be in the moment

In the midst of a challenge, it is almost natural for your thoughts to wander as human. And usually, this does not end well, as you might end up getting your sad for overthinking. So rather than go all the way, learn to be in the moment. Get into activities that demands your attention. Visit friends, have conversations, or play video games. Your problems are not suppose to overpower you. Remember you have this under control no matter how overwhelming it may be.

To Wrap It Up

Being an athlete comes with its perks and at the same time, it’s challenges. Beginner individual athletes are most the bearers of these challenges, especially pertaining to money. But with a good crowdfunding strategy, you will be able to get things in shape and follow through with your passion.

Are you a professional athlete looking for a platform to find people whom you share common interest with? Join Sportconn today and you’ll find answers to all burning quests.