Ever since I graduated college and officially completed my gymnastics career, I’ve repeatedly had a desire to go back in the gym and play around. About two weeks ago I decided it had been long enough and I did gymnastics for the first time in about two years. Let me tell you, my mind and my body were not exactly in agreement, and lets just say my body was not happy!

It’s probably safe to say that physically, I’m not the athlete I once was. But mentally, I’ll always think like an athlete. Beginning a sport at a young age and participating in it for over 20 years instilled in me so many critical qualities and skills that will benefit me for the rest of my life. I’m sure most athletes would agree.

Following are 7 takeaways from being an athlete that have better prepared me for my professional career and my life:

1. Precision

Being a gymnast in particular, I had to be precise. If I was off one inch to the right on the beam, I would’ve been on my head. Rarely do such minute details matter so critically as in a sport like gymnastics, golf, or even baseball. It’s hard to convey that level of detail and precision to a young child, without doing it through sports. As a result, that attention to detail and acute precision is instilled at a very young age, and at least for me, has carried through the rest of my life.

2. Coachablility

Once again, it is hard to get a child to do what you tell them, except when it comes to sports. But if you tell a young gymnast to straighten her legs or point her toes, or you tell a baseball player to loosen up his stance, they do it, because they want to get better. Not only that, they see that by making the necessary corrections, they are able to achieve their desired result. Going forward, if their manager is giving them feedback about the way they’re doing their job, they’re more apt to listen and apply the critiques to achieve their desired outcome.

3. Competitiveness

Being competitive is a great quality to have. It means that you’re not complacent. You strive to be the best and you want to win. That’s a great attitude to have because it will get you further in your career and in life. Being competitive means you work hard and you don’t like to lose. That’s not a bad thing, even though the word competitive can sometimes have a negative connotation. Few successful people would have gotten to the level they are at in their careers without displaying a competitive spirit along the way.

4. Time Management

One thing most athletes learn at a very young age is time management. Often, they are balancing sports and school with some other things thrown in there as well. Their time is limited and so they need to make the most of it. This is an invaluable skill that will prove incredibly useful when balancing work, a family, etc. later in life.

5. Teamwork & Sportsmanship

Learning what it takes to be a part of a team at a young age is critical going forward. You will works in teams in your academic career and your professional career, and understanding that each team member plays a unique role and that all need to be supportive of one another is huge. To that end, being a good sport is never easy. To be honest, no one likes to lose. But when you fall off the beam and get a bad score, or your team falls a few points short of your opponent, you still need to be gracious in defeat. That skill will come in handy later in life if someone gets a promotion before you, or achieves something that you want.

6. Drive

I have to say this may be one of my greatest takeaways from being an athlete. You can’t have a successful athletic career without setting goals for yourself and being driven to achieve them. Whether it’s learning a new skill, moving up to the next level, or setting a goal of being an Olympian or professional athlete, the mindset that is needed just to set those goals is one that doesn’t just disappear after you stop playing sports, and the drive needed to achieve those goals doesn’t other.

7. Fearlessness

I tore my ACL my senior year of high school and was absolutely devastated. I was scared about having surgery, and scared about not getting to continue the sport I loved. But I was determined to overcome the injury and I did. The challenges I faced as a result only made me stronger and no longer afraid of other obstacles that might someday get in my way. If I could come back from that, I felt I could do anything, and to be honest, I’m actually glad I had that experience. It taught me more than few other things could at just 18 years old.

I might not still be able to flip around the gym like I once could, but gymnastics has forever instilled these principles and qualities in me, and I know I’m better for it.

And just for fun…here’s a little video for your enjoyment: