I wanna be a pro - or do I....

Like many, I harbor dreams (delusions?) of being a pro athlete - specifically, a cyclist or triathlete.  I think of how nice it would be, how much more time I would have if that whole work thing didn't get in the way of my training.  You know, a good brick workout in the morning, a nice nap, a second workout in the afternoon, maybe a recovery massage, and a nice sleep that night.  Sounds pretty nice....

 

But look at the other side:  you have to perform; or in other words, you eat what you kill.  Your livelihood depends directly on your performance, and you're only as good as your most recent race (or season).  A few bad races, and sponsors start to question their investment.  You're always hustling to meet your contractual obligations, be they meet-and-greet at races, or placing in so many races per year. 

 

And there is an expiration date on your career - be it chronological (how long can someone compete?), or physical (injuries - be the acute or chronic).  And no one knows when an accident can happen.

 

Every job has its own set of stresses, which is good to remember when you're in the middle of a night shift in the ER...