The Enduring Human Spirit

Passion. Purpose. Competition. Endurance. Adversity. Determination. Victory. When you think of these seven words together, what comes to mind for you? Do these words elicit thoughts of a popular athlete, a sports team, or possibly something about your own life? With the 2024 Paris Olympics currently underway, these words may likely evoke thoughts of the summer games. Truly, these words can have a vast meaning for everyone and can make us recall a number of things. For those of us in the arts, these words can also bring to mind our own industry. Dancers, actors, artists, and musicians can all relate to these words in one way or another. For those of us in the music sector, how might we compare our industry with the sports industry? Both professions credibly encompass those seven words and when we look deeper, we can see them as more alike than they are different.

Certainly, likening music to sports is not far-fetched. Years of study, practice, and training can create the strongest of athletes, but when it comes to musicians, do we ever consider ourselves as such? For most of us, our music journey has involved learning an instrument or learning how to sing, or both. Whether your music career has gravitated toward music theory, composition, or another area of music, you undoubtedly understand the physical endurance required of a performer: long hours of rehearsing year after year, making those most minute of changes in our technique that make a world of difference; the self-care, rest, and recovery required to maintain our bodies; the desire to push and make it through another performance—even when our bodies are tired; and the disappointing aches and pains or overuse injuries that can arise at one point or another. Most performers have endured these challenges somewhere along the path, but they are challenges that we share with those athletes pursuing excellence in their sport.

Beyond such inconvenient injuries, for some performers, unexpected health challenges can hit the pause button at the most inopportune time. Take for instance, Celine Dion, the international star who needs no introduction and the intimate story she shared in the recent Amazon MGM Studios documentary, I Am: Celine Dion. Here we witness an incredible woman who epitomizes what it is to be an athletic musician. For decades, her vocal cords have been trained, stretched, exercised, developed, and amplified for millions around the globe. She is ever pushing against her limits. Her drive contains a spirit that leads her to a pinnacle of success that only a small fraction in the music industry ever achieves. Celine’s industry records, extensive list of awards, and millions of fans have solidified her place in history. She now struggles with a rare neurological condition yet maintains her champion heart as her life has been filled with victory. Having continually possessed a crammed rehearsal and performance schedule, her days now include physical therapy sessions to help ease her symptoms as she continually works toward her next achievements.

What is it about the human spirit that inspires us to reach for more? Just when we think certain things might be impossible, if we persevere, we can find a little something more inside ourselves to build upon. Such a deep connection to music becomes embedded into the very fiber of our being. Despite her health challenges, Celine possesses a hunger, drive, and love of performing that shapes her work ethic to go above and beyond. Her unwavering spirit and profound desire for performing are prime examples of making the impossible possible. These qualities are a true testament of the incredible resilience of the human spirit.

When it comes to your own life, what has been driving your own music trajectory? Whatever it is, keep persisting through challenges and maintaining your athleticism. Prioritize your mental and physical health, listen to your body, and give it what it requires. Eat healthy foods, get proper rest, and incorporate physical exercise to keep your body strong. Just as athletes establish routines, workouts, and habits that help them get from one goal to the next, so too is it important for us performers to establish and identify routines that feed our own success.

Returning to Celine, as she continues to face daily health challenges and work relentlessly toward her future performances, her fans will be patiently waiting to welcome her back to the stage every single time. As she recently performed in the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics, her long-awaited, miraculous return proved that in her own right, not only is she an incredible athletic musician, she is also an Olympian.

For more information on this topic, visit The Ties Between Music and Sports