The Gift of
Choice
Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, FASEP
Professor and Chair
Director, Exercise Physiology
Laboratories
Department of Exercise Physiology
College of St. Scholastica,
Duluth, MN
AS EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGISTS, we
helped develop sports medicine without realizing the extent to which we
failed to develop our own professional base. For years, we thought
sports medicine was exercise physiology! But, clearly, the two are
not the same. Consider, for example, the following:
“The American College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM) is an
association of people and professions
sharing the commitment to explore the use of medicine and exercise to make
life healthier for all Americans. ACSM is an organization founded in 1954
and committed to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of sports-related
injuries and to the promotion of physical activity. ACSM's mission is to
promote and integrate scientific research, education, and practical applications
of sports medicine and exercise science to maintain and enhance physical
performance, fitness, health, and quality of life.”
In short, ACSM is an association
of people and associations committed to “use” of medicine and exercise.
Or, stated somewhat differently (but the same meaning), an organization
committed to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of sports-related
injuries. ACSM’s mission is to promote and integrate research, education,
and application of sports medicine and exercise science. In other
words, ACSM is an organization committed to medicine, exercise, the treatment
of injuries, and the promotion of a healthier lifestyle. ACSM is
not an organization that promotes exercise physiologists. Instead,
it is an association of people and professions, including cardiologists,
orthopaedic surgeons, family practitioners, internal medicine, and other
medical specialties, physical educators, nurses, athletic trainers, physical
therapists, exercise program directors, biomechanists, and exercise physiologists!
In contrast, “ASEP’s vision
(mission) is to be recognized as the leading professional organization
of American scholars and practitioners in the study and application of
exercise physiology to fitness, health promotion, rehabilitation, and sports
training. ASEP is dedicated to unifying all exercise physiologists in the
United States and worldwide to promote and support the study, practice,
teaching, research, and development of the exercise physiology profession.
Through proactive and creative leadership, ASEP empowers its members to
serve the public good by making an academically sound difference in the
application of exercise physiology concepts and insights.”
Note the differences between
the two mission (vision) statements. One is committed to medicine
and exercise and the prevention of injuries and a healthier lifestyle.
The other is committed exclusively to the study and application of “exercise
physiology” including the unification of all exercise physiologists.
Unfortunately, for years, those of us who were involved with ACSM simply
didn’t take the time to think about our association with and support of
the organization. Obviously, ACSM is a professional organization
of an association of diverse professionals. ASEP is exclusively a
professional organization of exercise physiologists and, as such has laid
the foundation for the emerging profession by asking, “What is exercise
physiology?” and “What is our business?”
In seeking to recapture something
of the heart of exercise physiology, members of the American Society of
Exercise Physiologists propose that the good old days are over and the
real beginning is now. The message is simple. It is about respect
and a deeper understanding of the literal sense of the profession and the
title, “Exercise Physiology” and “Exercise Physiologist”, respectively.
It is about correcting the myth and appearance that the sports medicine
model is looking out for exercise physiologists. However, correcting
the myth may be hard to do among exercise physiologists who aren’t members
of the Society. Their original concept of sports medicine and exercise
science is still unbroken. But, of course, it is just a matter of
time.
Much in the same way that
some individuals thought they would use the typewriter forever and, yet
they made the transition to the obvious. It is a new mind-set and,
when it is completely understood, there really isn’t any going back.
After all, what ASEP is doing isn’t really all that unique. Most
other professionals under the generic title sports medicine have already
done what ASEP is doing. They therefore have found themselves, and
they have reconnected with their own vision and purpose for being.No longer
is it necessary to feel that integration of diverse professional groups
is the way to go. No longer do we have to subject ourselves to ideas,
feelings, and concepts that speak only to sports medicine. The multi-glut
organizational approach is over. Everything now is exclusively about
the question, “What is in the best interest of the exercise physiologist?”
The best place to address professional issues underlying exercise physiology
is ASEP. It is “the” Society of professional exercise physiologists.
It is not about entertaining all professional groups. It is not about
empowering others to take jobs from our own graduates.
From now own, exercise physiologists
are looking out for themselves. Hence, when asked if we should have
our own professional organization, all we need to say is “Get real”.
Think about it. The syndrome of misdirection and confusion has run
its course. Staying with it can only result in a continued rewriting
of the same unsuccessful steps for our graduates. In fact, the latest
sports medicine “certification” continues the same old complacency towards
our bachelor prepared exercise physiologists. We literally must stop
avoiding the fact that our undergraduates deserve respect. As their
teachers, we energize them with hope of doing incredible things, and then
we drop them like a hot potato. This practice and thinking has continued
too long. The only winners in this “we first, you later” thinking
are the sports medicine groups who look to make more money from yet another
certification.
There is a better way.
The key to knowing that way lies in understanding the ASEP vision.
That’s right! A vision is power! When others understand what
we are working to accomplish, they too will feel the urge to work on behalf
of all exercise physiologists. They will understand that our concern
comes from within. It is the key to realizing the ASEP vision but
surprisingly too few of us understand the power we have to influence others.
By power I mean the potential to provide things that other exercise physiologists
want. We have the power to help ASEP. Simply by our position,
our sincerity, and our desire to help others, we have the power to help.
Our colleagues will listen to us. It all starts with you. Your
character, your skills, and your capacity are influencing others in countless
circumstances. So why not consider making a difference in the emerging
profession and the development of ASEP? We are on the brink of a
new and more improved interaction with the healthcare community and public
sector. What you do today can help others from feeling powerless.
The gift of choice is yours. You can decide to give up and/or keep
things as they have been for decades or decide to take control of your
work and your future.
We
now have a choice. We can choose between sports medicine
and exercise physiology, and we can also choose not to continue internalizing
the criticisms and beliefs that others feel compelled to share with us.
Forget their comments, especially when they say, “What are you doing?
ASEP is a nothing organization. You can’t be somebody by belonging
to that organization?” People who wish to create doubt in your thinking
aren’t looking out for you. Their motivation is personal. They
hope to keep you without hope and full of nonsense such as: “I don’t think
I can make it in ASEP.” As Shakespeare said in Measure of Measure,
“Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by
fearing to attempt.”
Rather than doubting that
you can make a difference in the professionalization of exercise physiology,
escape from such feelings and believe in yourself. Believe that you
can help create a different future (a better future) for all exercise physiologists.
You have a choice! The gift is yours! The members of ASEP invite
you to share in clarifying the ASEP vision, scope of our problems as well
as the opportunities that lie ahead of us, and in the idea that YOU can
make a big difference on behalf of thousands. What you can do, perhaps,
someone else in ASEP can’t do as well. The need for all of us working
together is imperative, exciting, and powerful. For example, ASEP
needs more state associations. YOU can help by starting an organization
in your state. The path to unity is not through coercive manipulation
but out of a sincere desire to help. It begs the question, “What
can we do together to create new opportunities for all of us?” Surely,
asking such a question makes sense, and isn’t it a natural inclination
for most of us to want to help?” This is the main reason ASEP was
founded in 1997, that is, respect, trust, belief, and integrity.
It is an organization of exercise physiologists for exercise physiologists
who are true to what they believe is right.
Above all, however, it isn’t
that the letters ASEP are important. Rather, it is the association
of men and women with a common cause. Their relationships make ASEP
and, if their influence on each other is honorable, then ASEP will grow
as well as the dedication of each member to each other. That is what’s
important; the members and then what the members make of their association
that lives on and is passed from one generation to the next. The
interconnectedness of the membership allows for and develops a lifelong,
measurable impact on building up all exercise physiologists. All
of us have the gift of choice! “Do I want to get involved, perhaps,
the timing is wrong? In one more year I will be a “fellow” in “x”
organization. What would they think if they knew my true feelings?”
Obviously, not everyone is ready to fight the fight and, it is reasonable
that we should be patient with our colleagues. It is a rare point
in time that every one should agree on the same thought, idea, or way of
doing something. Because of our differences, commitments, and relationships
it is no surprise that we often exhaust our emotions trying to hang on
before the transition is complete. So, please understand that however
important it is to “do something” and “to get involved” and “to share the
message” – we must not be unprofessional towards our colleagues who need
more time. We also need to be in the position to learn from others.
The gift of choice comes
with a price. First, there is the personal decision to choose which
side of the tracks to stand. Second, after the choice is made and
action is evident, we should always wish the best to our colleagues who
disagree by their presence on the other side of the tracks. This
doesn’t mean that we can’t have strong disagreements, but do so in a respectful
and dignified manner. We must understand that it is important not
to allow even a vision of great importance to get in the way of friendship.
All human beings measure up and are worthy of our praise and, thus it is
important to withhold judgments that may cause emotional harm and helplessness.
Kindness is important and encouraged. Hence, ironic as it may seem,
ASEP members should always be supportive and non-judgmental and, where
possible, speak kindly of sports medicine professionals.
Needless to say, “speaking
kindly” doesn’t mean that we can’t agree to disagree and even do so with
some emotion. It isn’t possible to be authentic without living a
fight congruent with our own emotions and desires. We can nonetheless,
as a unified body, be without malice as well as act and believe, according
to the founder of McDonald’s, Ray Kroc, that “All of us is better than
any of us.” All of us need to read and re-read the ASEP vision and
keep our eyes on it day in and day out. Too often organizations create
a vision only to be forgotten. We can’t allow that to happen or otherwise
what drives us will disappear, where we are going we will be forgotten,
and our commitment will be without reward. We need to keep our eyes
on the ASEP vision, why ASEP is important, and why the members have come
together.
Keeping our eyes open and
on task gets us up in the morning. It drives us to try one more thing
because everything is not fine in exercise physiology. There are
problems, particularly in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation where our graduates’
education is misunderstood or simply overlooked. Job opportunities
are not what they should be, and this alone is important enough to move
us to act on our dreams. It doesn’t take much thinking to understand
what is wrong with the sports medicine model, what is right with the ASEP
vision, and what resources are available to all exercise physiologists
through mutual investment in our collective efforts. The ASEP vision
is our purpose for what we do. It sets the stage for our willingness
to take risks not just for ourselves, but for someone we don’t even know
so that down the road that person and others like him or her can have a
better life.
ASEP members have come together
to speak on behalf of exercise physiologists at all levels. Their
credibility is sound. They can be believed. They are engaged
in the actions considered important to professionalism. There is
hope in a better future in exercise physiology. There are leaders
within ASEP who haven’t surfaced yet. They will, and they will help
others translate dreams into reality. They understand that
“We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are” (Max
DePree). A sobering thought. Hence, if we wish to change exercise
science to exercise physiology, a discipline to a profession, and letting
go of “what is” for “what can be,” leaders from within ASEP must
have the courage to move others to “let go” so that we can change and bring
together a reshaping of what we are and what we do. New leaders from
within ASEP will help us to live true to our vision and, so it is that
YOU have the gift of choice; a gift that can and will make a difference.
Suggested Readings
Covey, S. R. (1989). The
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
Covey, S. R. (1991). Principle
Centered Leadership. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
Lee, B. (1997). The Power
Principle: Influence With Honor. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
McGinnis, A. L. (1990).
The Power of Optimism. New York, NY: Harper and Row.
Willingham, R. (1987). Integrity
Selling. New York, NY: Doubleday.
Copyright
©1997-2000 American Society of Exercise Physiologists. All Rights
Reserved.
ASEP
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