Abhinav Bindra dives deep into mental health and performance

Abhinav Bindra during a virtual interaction and mental health and athletic performance on Friday. | Photo credit: Special Arrangement

The country’s first individual Olympic champion, Abhinav Bindra, on Friday gave a rare glimpse into the world of mental health and mental performance in a lively conversation with Mpower Founder and Chairperson, Ms. Neerja Birla.

In a virtual interaction, Abhinav opened up about his vulnerability and the emptiness he felt after winning Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008.

“I was obsessed with Olympic gold for 15 years. Once the dream was achieved, I felt exhausted and empty,” Abhinav said.

Abhinav stressed that he had a psychologically safe environment with his parents, sister etc. and that he sought professional help to overcome the crisis.

“I had to share my vulnerability. I had to speak openly and honestly, to empower other athletes,” he said, dispelling the common perception that “athletes were immune to mental health issues.”

“As athletes, we face success and failure every day. There are injuries that take a physical and mental toll on us. When we stop enjoying the journey, that’s a red flag,” Abhinav said.

“People found my behavior strange. I should be the best in the world, with that Olympic gold,” Abhinav said, stressing the importance of having a “safety net of people who understand you and don’t judge you.”

Abhinav said he was surrounded by people who believed in him and he could lean on them when he was struggling mentally.

“One of my coaches helped me through the situation, to come out of the void,” said Abhinav.

“We are human and fragile. I did a Vipasana meditation course, where I stayed silent for 10 days. I was able to think back to my sport. I realised how much I loved the process. I loved my journey, doing my best every day. Happiness was my gold medal,” he recalled.

Abhinav rejected the idea of ​​winning at all costs, saying it was important to “win well and prioritise your well-being”.

He said athletes need to find balance in their lives even as they remain glued to their “tunnel vision, trying to get better on the field.”

He hit the nail on the head when he said that human well-being is at the heart of performance.

“It determines how we respond at critical moments. It helps athletes succeed and sustain success,” he said.

Abhinav was quite critical of his own approach, saying that he lacked ‘balance’ as he was obsessed with performance and achieving his goals.

“I didn’t realize my full potential,” he admitted. “I didn’t humanize my effort enough.”

Abhinav praised his parents for giving him the opportunity to pursue his path.

“My parents allowed me to make mistakes. That was valuable for my goals. I had to acknowledge my mistakes and my successes. When you are trying to make the last attempt for Olympic gold, you need the courage of conviction. That comes from developing yourself as an individual over the years,” Abhinav said.

He praised the efforts of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to set up a mental health helpline, not just during the Olympics but over four years, after “a lot of work” in the area of ​​mental health.