Pro-athletes As Inspiration
Intro:
As the great basketball legend Michael Jordan says:
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
If these words inspired you, they have also done so for millions of children worldwide. No matter who you are, you have most likely looked up to someone else’s words and wanted to follow them, thinking you could change your life in a more positive direction. Inspiration is the process of feeling mentally stimulated to do something. It also sets a certain group of athletes apart from the rest—the great from the greatest. While some use their influence for gain, others use it to bring change and motivate others. For athletes, part of it comes in the form of idolizing professionals.
Past examples:
Some real-life examples of athletes inspiring and bringing change include Muhammad Ali and Lionel Messi. One of the greatest boxers of all time, he tried to stay active and strong daily until his death from Parkinson’s disease. For all his fans worldwide, Ali exemplified what staying strong and optimistic against adversaries looked like. As for Messi, he always stays humble despite his strong display of talent leading Argentina to world cup glory in 2022 and Copa America in 2024. He is “more worried about being a good person than being the best football player in the world…I hope I am remembered for being a decent guy.” For the millions of children worldwide idolizing Messi, he also teaches them an important lesson: one’s humility, character, and personality off the court is just as important as their game on the court, if not more. This point is further proven by a study which found 75% of children to believe that famous athletes teach kids to be a good sport in addition to how to win.
Athletes inspiring athletes:
However, these two sporting legends did not do so without drawing inspiration from even earlier greats of the game. Messi and Ali were inspired by Maradona and Sugar Ray Robinson respectively. Ali even recalls trying to imitate Robinson’s footwork during matches. The same goes for many high school athletes and goes beyond just elements of the game, but also daily regimens and nutrition. Two scientific studies even confirmed that people were ready to change their lifestyles after watching famous pros exercise and eat healthy. One prime example is soccer star Ronaldo’s training regimen leading to many Youtubers making videos for adolescent athletes like “How to get a body like Ronaldo.”
Goals, setbacks, and perseverance:
Such inspiration usually leads people to make brief changes in their lifestyle, whether it be eating healthier or going for a workout once in a while at home. Some go further and begin to chase goals, where the same pro athletes inspire them with their stories of setbacks and hard work to get to that point. Two of the athletes mentioned earlier are Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan. Ali does not hesitate to tell people that “[he] hates every minute of training. But [he] said, don’t quit!” so that he can live as a champion. Similarly, Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team at one point, but still went on to become one of the best ever in the NBA.
Wrap-up:
One generation inspiring the next and passing valuable lessons on will forever be a propagating cycle. Already, more than half of boys and a third of girls watch sports on TV now, and up to 20% of kids follow sports news and athletes’ regimens as part of their routine. So, whether you just need that motivational boost to your life or aspire to become a top athlete, listening to today’s greatest like Stephen Curry or Christiano Ronaldo could potentially cause a shift in your life for the better. Lastly, anytime you are feeling depressed or hopeless, remember everyone you looked up to has gone through the same pain at some point. Something all sporting legends have in common is having setbacks and using them as a path towards future success. If Ali and Jordan could do it, you can too. As TMP says, step through the pain!
Sources:
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Team ENSPIRE, et al. “The Most Inspirational Athletes in Sports History - Enspire Magazine.” ENSPIRE Magazine - The Growing Voice of Positive Media!, 26 Aug. 2023, enspiremag.com/2022/07/the-most-inspirational-athletes-in-sports-history/.
“The Man Who Inspired Muhammad Ali: Remembering Boxing Legend ‘sugar’ Ray Robinson.” India Today, India Today, 12 Apr. 2019, www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/facts-about-sugar-ray-robinson-970937-2017-04-12.