Don’t forget your socks

You spent weeks, months, years training for a big race. Your training was planned and executed meticulously, your nutrition was optimal, you slept a solid 8 hours a night and woke at the same time every day. Your strength training was event-specific and your technique was flawless. You worked on your mental strength and resilience. You even implemented some truly innovative interventions that safely, legally, and ethically improved your performance. Your taper was perfect.

You arrive by shuttle bus to the event on the big day, and as you start getting ready for your race you realize YOU FORGOT YOUR SOCKS. You know, those socks that you researched and purchased months in advance, just for this race? The ones that were going to drop your aerodynamic drag by percentage points? Yeah, those socks. They’re back in your hotel room. Actually, you have no socks at all with you. You have to borrow a pair off of a staff member who happens to have the same size feet.

No one is surprised, though. This is a pattern with you. It would be funny, if it didn’t throw you off mentally. Everything about your performance preparation is amazing, but *life* preparation? It’s holding you back. People nag you all the time about it, but that doesn’t change anything. What works for other athletes just doesn’t seem to work for you.

Why not work with a coach? Dedicate some time to figuring out your own answers to these kinds of questions. You work with a coach for your sport, why not work with one for your life? Without having your life in order, it’s difficult to set the stage for your best sport performance. What impact would it have on you if you could address the issues that hold you back? How would it feel? Where could you look for ideas of approaches that might appeal to you? What support do you have? What are the obstacles? And, most importantly, what actions are you going to take and how are you going to hold yourself accountable?

Just imagine if you hadn’t forgotten your socks.