Greatness in sports (and beyond)

An athlete’s work is made up of many elements, from physical training to studying techniques, practicing them, psychological training, taking care of their body, and then all the specific details related to their particular sport. It’s a complex job that requires a lot of dedication in every aspect.

So, it shouldn’t be hard to understand that taking care of your body is part of an athlete’s job. It’s a fundamental part of their work because everything they do, their lifestyle, can have a significant impact on their physical well-being. Their job also includes minimizing the chances of getting injured.

Furthermore, if the issue isn’t due to an athlete’s lifestyle or work approach—meaning it’s not about poor self-management but something inherent to their nature—it just means they are a bit less equipped in that area, like a basketball player who’s a little shorter than the others.

Then, there are even athletes who’ve faced physical problems that turned into psychological ones because of an external madness that ruined their career, like what happened in women’s tennis decades ago.

If someone who’s been the victim of such a brutal act, while showing extraordinary talent, has had the dignity—and therefore the greatness—not to complain or compare themselves to others (who may have been luckier in this or that), then, out of basic dignity, those who haven’t been victims at all should avoid using their physical problems as an excuse to belittle others’ achievements. Even more so when those physical issues are the result of their own choices and lifestyle.