Let’s talk about the Action/Identity loop.
I’m not a research psychologist, so there may be different ways of using the word “identity” in this context, but for today when I say identity, I mean whatever you say about yourself after “I Am..” You could say “I am a father/mother,” or ‘“I am a hard worker.”
But what I want to talk to you about today is how you identify with health/fitness. We generally call this your “athlete identity” even if you don’t actually identify with the word “athlete.” For you, it might be “mountain biker,” “5k finisher,” or “healthy.”
Our identities have a lot to do with our actions.
Some of this has to do without deep hard-wired desire to be consistent with our beliefs about ourselves (this is one of the reasons that negative self-talk is so damaging). If you identify as a “cyclist” you’re probably going to ride your bike more than other people. But, it’s also important to remember that the relationship between action and identity is actually a loop. While your identity leads to your actions, your actions also lead to your identity! If you run a lot, over time you will identify as a “runner.”
In addition, our identities combine to form support for our general self-perception and self-confidence, which I’ll call Self (yeah yeah, I know this is a simplified view). This is an important concept to grasp in a time like this, when our athletic world has changed so much!
Racing has been cancelled.
Racing itself is an action that is probably related to some kind of identity for you. Training for that race is a huge set of actions that definitely relates to some kind of identity!
If our individual identities are support structures (think the legs of a table) for our Self, and our actions are a large part of those identities, what’s happened to your Self without the actions of racing and training? Have you been cranky? Feeling a little unmoored? Sure some of this has to do with other issues right now, but I think ignoring the effect that our athletic identity has on us is misguided.
The same is true of an injury, right? You’re hurt, so the actions (training) that used to inform your athletic identity aren’t there any more. It’s like the table leg of that identity is crumbling, leaving the table of your Self tilted and crashing.
So what do we do about this?
- Realize that training is more important to your athletic identity than racing. Racing is a single action, training is many. Get back to training.
- Realize that physical training is only ONE small part of what athletes do. If your body is hurt, you can focus on nutrition, mental toughness, strength training, learning tactics, refining technique, etc. Focus on those other things.
- Realize that even if you have been a “runner,” that you are some kind of athlete. An athlete is simply someone who “moves systematically toward a physical goal.” If you’ve ever had thoughts about how to maybe take a day off so that you’re faster tomorrow? Guess what, that’s an athletes choice. And you know what other kinds of things athletes do? Physical therapy. Cross training when injured. Honing nutrition. Etc.
Or, in a more general sense:
- Define your athletic identity. When you tell people about your health/fitness, what words do you use?
- Think about what actions define that identity for you.
- Note that you might have to broaden your definition a bit. If you’re a runner, and you only think that runners run, and you’re hurt, well you’re kind fucked unless you find a way to broaden your definition of runner. For example, look at pro runners. They run, yes. But they also lift, and eat, and stretch, etc.
- Go do the things that you can that support your athletic identity.
This is a weird time. Don’t add to it by letting your athlete identity crumble.
