Learning About Diligence & Self discipline

From a young age, I was taught how to practice self‑discipline and was taught diligence. I did gymnastics for ten years, and in my final years I realized that the lessons I learned would be applied outside of the gym. What started off as a fun way for me to burn energy became a mental game and challenge. I learned techniques that I still use today when I am stressed. Gymnastics was all I cared about from a young age, and it helped me not only focus but also gave me a gateway to understand myself better.

As a gymnastics coach now, it is healing and rewarding to coach something that taught me so much. Although gymnastics looks flawless and effortless, that is one of the tricks the sport plays on the mind. Doing skills that look effortless takes focus, discipline, and a lot of mental strength. I remember when I first started, I was eager to learn and succeed to the next skill or level. I learned how to set goals for myself, and I achieved them through patience and persistence.

A lot of the time, I would get frustrated with myself, knowing I was capable of doing something but not sure how to execute it. I was lucky to have coaches who taught me that it’s okay to ask for help because a person never stops learning no matter how old they are.

I struggled a lot with something called mental blocks, and they were incredibly frustrating. As a kid, I stressed about every little thing and always imagined the worst outcome instead of the good that could come from trying. Mental blocks create fear, but fear is what eventually builds courage.

I learned a technique that I still use to this day. If I was stuck on a skill and took too long to go for it, I would end up trapped in my own head. I gave myself a simple mantra: “One, two, three, go.” A mantra so small made a huge difference because saying it in my head pushed me to just do it. If I didn’t go after saying it, I would step away and regroup myself before trying again.

I face challenges now, whether it be with an assignment or a difficult situation. If I find myself stuck in my head, I hold myself accountable and step away for a minute or two with no distractions. I reflect, breathe, and then refocus on the task at hand. One thing my coach taught me was how to visualize myself doing something, and it is a skill I still use today. I now use visualization before I go to sleep to imagine the tasks I will do the next day, just like I once used it to picture each routine before a competition.

When I first got my coaching job, I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to give kids the experience I had in gymnastics. But it felt like muscle memory when coaching them through their fear and mental blocks. Teaching them the skills I learned when I was younger is incredibly rewarding, especially when I see it work for them. Hearing that they are excited for practice or eager to see me again means so much. It shows that they have the mindset to do anything, and being able to pass that on is truly meaningful.