The short answer is: sure, but we’ll all be the poorer for it.
The much longer answer is this:
Many of us know how you feel. Waking up tired of facing another monotonous training session, underperforming when undermotivated, starting to dislike what we’re doing – and maybe even what we’ve become. Competing seems like a chore, or worse. Why would we keep putting ourselves through it?
Of course, there is no benefit in feeling like we’re wasting our time (or lives) doing something we don’t want to be doing. Better to focus our energies on something else.
But let’s stop for a few minutes and think about why we want to choose a different path, before we start walking down it. Because our Society’s members have had their fair share of similar challenges, we’ve learned a bit about what the causes can be. And, because we’ve lost a few members from our Society because of them, we also know what the effects of those choices can be. Let’s start with some questions:
Are we bored?
Doing the same thing over and over again isn’t always stimulating. In sport, this is something that is almost universally required to perform well. If we are easily bored by repetition, practice, and (sometimes mind-numbing) plain hard work, then sport might not be your thing. But it’s also important to remember that the boring stuff often needs to get done in order for the stimulating stuff to happen. That’s arguably the case with most things in life.
Your boring routine is meant to make you better. That’s the basis of Postulate 6. It’s the underlying pact everyone in our Society has with each other: give our best so others can reach theirs. And when you get better, we all get better. Our whole Society improves, thanks to you. If your routine isn’t making you better, then you should change that routine. But quitting sport altogether might be like throwing the baby out with the bath water. We will all likely get a bit worse.
If it’s plain that your interest has waned entirely, consider pivoting to a new sport. Athletes may specialize, but the great thing about sport is that we are more capable than most to successfully apply our knowledge, our experience, and ourselves in new ways. A new arena in which to grow, improve, and challenge new people might just be what your athlete psyche needs. And, you can always go back.
Are we worn/burned out?
Sometimes we could use a good break, from whatever we’re doing; usually after we’ve been doing a lot of it. Recovery is a key aspect of training and competition, and lots of training and competition can require a more significant recovery period. This is not quitting or giving up. It is an element of Postulate 4, that is, something that is integral to gaining an advantage through training and preparation.
It is also a good chance to get some perspective about what we’re doing. When we have some time away from our own grind, we often learn to appreciate its uniqueness in the world. We may also find inspiration in what others are doing, in other places or other sports. There are, after all, very few people in this world that train, prepare, and compete precisely as you do. Enjoy some quality recovery time, and reflect upon how your practice makes you a unique piece of our Society’s puzzleboard.
Don’t like the system we’re in?
When a system starts to wear us – the athletes – down, then it is likely that something or someone else’s values and priorities are taking over our territory. And if you’re feeling frustrated with it, chances are others are, too. So get fired up and change the system. Recruit your fellow Society members and take up arms. Our Society determines how sport is done, no one else (that’s Postulate 9). Sport is Our Society’s Territory. Without us, it doesn’t exist, it has no purpose. What better way to find your enthusiasm again than to go on the offensive, reclaim lost land, and re-orient your sport back to what we all want it to be?
Tired of being told what to do?
Just like the system that needs to be re-adjusted, you might need to have a good talk with whoever is doing the telling. Anyone who is connected to sport needs to understand that we, the athletes, are the ones that decide. Those coaches, officials, administrators and others that know what’s best for you might be worth listening to, but then again, they might not be. If you’ve had just about enough of their advice, instructions, and boundary setting, then you’ll do well to let them know that. If you don’t get a constructive dialog going upon having that discussion, then go your own way, Athlete. You are under no obligation to let the non-players dictate your pursuit of sport (aside from when they’re doing their duty in enforcing our sports’ agreed-upon rules, of course).
Tired of other people’s expectations or judgements?
Pardon the child-friendly expression, but they can go suck a lemon. The only people’s judgements that matter are those of your fellow athletes. And if those athletes aren’t appreciating the effort you’re putting in, then you should try and help them see it.
If you’re not giving your best, however, then you’ll have to have an honest conversation with yourself. We all benefit when everyone is striving to push each other, and appreciate each other’s efforts. Sometimes it becomes clear when we aren’t doing one, the other, or both. In those cases, hearing it from someone else might be justifiable. Either way, you’ll need to be honest with yourself: am I doing what I can to challenge my fellow members, in the spirit of our Society? If the answer is yes, then you can gladly ignore anyone else’s opinion. In fact, you can make lemonade out of them.
When the grass still looks greener over there
Sport is a big place. There is lots of room to move around, meet amazing new people, try fantastic new things, and develop in unexpected ways. But if you still want to leave, ask yourself this: who am I going to join in a different Society, and what do they stand for? In the Society of Sport, we’re all in this for each other. We challenge each other, and thereby help each other, understand each other, and grow closer to each other. This underlies postulates 1, 5, and 6. All the other stuff that happens in sport is insignificant compared to this kind act.
If you don’t think that sounds rewarding enough anymore, then by all means, search on: it’s probably time to do something else. The rest of us, though, will miss you. We’ll have one less challenger to contribute to our Society’s improvement, and one less person to share our common trials, rewards, and experiences. Thanks for all you’ve done for us. And remember: you’re always welcome back, anytime, at any level.