Hawai Sport November-December

My Only Challenges Are Mental
By Brad Yates with Bruce Eliashof, M.D.
Evan Strong is a Paralympic athlete who uses an attitude of gratitude to
transcend his disability and have the confidence to live each day to the
fullest. In his words, “While I have a disability, it doesn’t prevent me
from seeing myself as a whole and complete person.” Evan goes on to
explain his intention to live and compete with a “light heart–easy mind.”
THE FOCUS
A few years after his accident, Evan was introduced to snowboarding.
Soon after that he was introduced to competition and the rest, as the saying
goes, is history. Evan used the same deep perspective to adjust his
attention on learning to compete. In a few short years he has proven his
capabilities and is not focused on winning a gold medal in snowboard
cross at the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia. His devotion to this
quest is total. He follows a strict regimen of proper diet, rest, cross-training,
snowboarding, meditation and visualization.
The visualization process he utilizes involves putting his attention on seeing
and feeling in complete detail the movement and related sensations
that are associated with his best effort as it translates to competition on the
world stage. “All of my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual preparation
enables me to show up with the ‘light heart and easy mind.’ At that
point I simply need to express all of my joy, happiness and passion for my
sport. If I stay in the moment and maintain this focus, I’m capable of
winning a gold medal for my country.”
Judging by the success that Evan has had in snowboarding, downhill bike
racing and skateboarding, his chances are very good. Throw in the success
he has had in giving back to these sports by teaching and helping others
define what is possible after recovering from a serious injury. Evan Strong
has mastered the process for overcoming challenges and creating abundance.
“My only challenges are mental,” he says. “I love what I do so much that
I cannot let my attitude dip below my complete appreciation for the opportunity
to compete in the sports that I love.”
Asked if he has a message for others he replied, “Love what you do and
do what you love. This simple philosophy will bring you to good place
with a happy life.”
THE STORY
Evan was born in San Francisco in 1986. He lived in Paia, Maui, from
1995 to 2006. He is a gifted extreme athlete who chose a skateboard to
express his passion for movement and speed. In 2004, at the age of 18, he
suffered a potentially fatal injury that claimed a portion of his left leg
below the knee. In the emergency room, with the medical staff struggling
to save his life, Evan declared that he would skate again.
True to his word, Evan made good on his promise. After recovering from
the trauma of his accident he began to teach himself to skateboard using a
crutch to get used to the feel of his prosthesis, which he describes as feeling
like he was “attempting to skate on a stilt.” The challenge of replacing
the muscle memory required in performing basic skills on a skateboard
required a year of nonstop practice.
LIGHT HEART – EASY MIND
Evan credits his parents for teaching him to meditate at an early age. This
daily practice allowed him to develop “a single focus in the moment.”
This focus helped him endure his recovery. In Evan’s words, “I know that
what and where I place my attention will ‘turn on.’ Meaning, what I focus
on will become my reality. If I focus on being disabled, I will be, and I’ll
come up way short of my goals. If I focus on being whole and complete,
however, I will be, and my future is unlimited. Having a ‘light heart–easy
mind’ is a function of the acceptance for my situation and the confidence
to accomplish what I want in my sport and life.”
HILEVEL TOOL BOX:
MEDITATION
Evan Strong is a perfect example of how the daily practice of quieting
the mind and relaxing the body can help restore and heal
hard working and/or injured muscles. The deep relaxation that
comes from such practice also helps with the mental focus and the
discipline required at higher levels of competition. Furthermore,
the practice of calming the mind and body has benefits that carry
over into other aspects of life such as relationships, school work
and professional work.
Exercise: A simple exercise to try at home is to sit quietly where
you can be free of interruption for 5 minutes. Simply focus on the
sensation of breathing in and out. As you do this it may be helpful
to remember that there is no need to alter the breath, this exercise
is simply to notice it. When your mind begins to wander, simply
and gently bring it back to focus on the breath. Be gentle with
yourself. This process takes time and can be very uncomfortable
at first. With practice you will find that your ability to stay focused
on the breath will improve dramatically.
PRESENT MOMENT AWARENESS
Being aware of and focusing on the present moment is central to peak performance.
Research in the field of performance psychology repeatedly
shows how present moment awareness—“being in the moment”—is
linked to optimal performance states. The practice of meditation helps to
develop a habit of focusing on the present moment, making it a valuable
practice for athletes.
Reminder: The 2014 Paralympics begins March 7 in Sochi. It will be televised
on NBC and NBCSN, beginning with the opening ceremony. For more,
see www.teamusa.org/US-Paralympics or www. p a r a l y m p i c . o r g / p a r a-
lympic-games.