The True, Vaulting Courage Of Simone

We often understand the true measure of an athlete’s greatness decades, even lifetimes, after their careers.

The extent of Jackie Robinson’s poise and strength, for example, did not come fully into focus until additional revelations about his racial harassment emerged long after his retirement.

Muhammad Ali’s willingness to risk his career and defend his conscientious objector status all the way to the Supreme Court seems astounding in contrast to celebrity athletes of today who sometimes crumple under the weight of an overnight tweet.

Both were challenging social norms for athletes, especially Black athletes, when it was perilous to do so.

We should not wait to give gymnast Simone Biles credit for the full extent of her greatness. She deserves it now.

The Missing Headlines

This past weekend, Biles made sports history by accomplishing a record 8th all-around U.S. Gymnastics Championship title. In doing so, she became the oldest woman to ever win the event. Both were awe-inspiring feats.

Physicality and pluck were only parts of her accomplishment. She was also contending with a high bar of social pressure. Had the seven-time Olympic medalist never returned to the sport, she would have been recorded in a far less favorable light.

She would have been known—unfairly—as the woman overcome by mental health issues who stunned the sports world and walked away from a majority of her events at the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021.

The miracle is that she chose to return to the sport on her own terms. She chose to bear witness to what so many professionals, in sports and other fields, are only now discovering—that a mental health setback need not be permanently debilitating nor worthy of a stigma.

If anyone doubts the level of discomfort that society still has in discussing mental health issues, they need look no further than the omission of her Tokyo travails in the recent news coverage.

This past weekend, Sports Illustrated wrote that her mental health issues in Tokyo pertained to her ability to get her bearings in mid-air (“twisties”). ESPN’s lengthy feature on her did not even mention the issue. Other publications dealt with the issue indirectly, with euphemisms.

This, after she was excoriated by sports commentators two years ago as a weak, childish, self-indulgent quitter and national embarrassment.

Pragmatists

People who opt to focus on their mental health are not deficient in character. They are pragmatists who deal with a physical reality. The brain is by far the most complex part of our bodies. It is no less likely to encounter problems than a heart, kidney, or digestive system.

I have recently taken what amounts to a mid-career mental health break. After a well-earned professional ride of highs and lows, last year I found myself in a unique position. I had been a political appointee honored to serve eight years as New York City’s International Affairs Commissioner. But the political calendar required a time-out. And it was just as well: I was done, and I wanted a new challenge.

The rub was that I wasn’t ready for a new challenge. I could have taken a new role and made it work, but that’s different than thriving. I decided to take a pause.

This proved to be an odd experience at times. Understandably, many people can’t process the idea of someone not working for reasons relating to financial stability, personal identity, or professional ambition. The awkward pauses in conversations were almost comical. (Q: “What are you doing these days?” A: “Actually, not much… It’s great.”)

This has been an important lesson. One needs to fully and unapologetically realize that healing and rejuvenation require simultaneous changes in mindset, goals, activities, and social presence. How you understand yourself and present yourself to others is essential to revitalization.

The logic of this ought to be simple, clear, and universally accepted. Athletes have off-season time to restore their bodies. Why should the most important part the body—the brain—require less time?

The Unfinished Agenda

The US has dismal time-off policies and there are critical legislative battles at the city and state level to redress this inequity. Social norms are changing, slowly, through soft power, helping to ensure that advances are not limited to white-collar professionals and athletes.

Solid, medically-grounded advice on mental health is readily available, regardless of income level. Rest is vital. Stack small, good habits. Don’t expect an overnight cure or cure-all pill. Stigmatizing oneself or others for time off should not be a norm.

No matter where you are in your professional or personal journey, find a support network, whether formal or informal. Social media platforms give countless people, often youth, platforms to talk openly and empathetically about their own mental health challenges and solutions.

With longer lives, Americans now have more jobs over the course of their career, so we are less likely to tie our identity to a single company or institution. You should recognize that you are far more than the sum of your current job.

That is what struck me about Simone. She continues to demonstrate ambition and commitment to her craft, but she has not evinced the desperation or neediness of someone chasing past glory. She welcomes and appreciates applause and medals, but is not on the floor for those reasons.

I believe she is a national, even global, treasure. To see her grace, power, and mastery of such a demanding sport is a gift to us all. I smile every time I see her moments on the winner’s platform. Her courage in changing perceptions of mental health, however, has made her a champion for all times.