Success Mindset: What I’m Learning this Recovery Cycle
If I’m being honest, there’s been a lot of injuries where I’ve sported that “Woe is me,” attitude and felt like pitching in the towel. This time, when I got hit with my plantar plate strain, I wanted it to be different. I was definitely disappointed, but hungry to grow in the midst of the injury – because of the injury, not in spite of it.
And I can truly say that I’ve learned so much as an athlete, coach, and person these past 5 weeks. I wouldn’t have chosen to get injured, but I know I wouldn’t have learned everything that I have learned if I would have stayed injury free.
That’s the funny thing about injuries – they make excellent teachers. And even more, God has taught me so much through this setback. A few of the things I’m learning are…
- Choose joy/gratitude > focus on what you can be thankful for. Choose joy even it’s hard.
- Focus on what you CAN do > if you can’t run, don’t focus on that. Focus on what you CAN do. Can you spin? Can you eat clean? Can you lift? Can you ride the bike? Focus on what you can do and do that with excellence!
- Embrace the opportunity to learn and grow. Yes, you are injured, but this is simply an opportunity to grow. Learn your weaknesses, find your strengths and work your hardest to grow because of the injury.
Yes, injuries are disappointing, but setbacks and challenges bring growth and growth brings change. And change can beautiful thing.