Lindsey Vonn is skiing with a torn ACL. The pain may be the point (published in USA Today)

Three-time U.S. medal winner Lindsey Vonn has gotten a lot of attention for deciding to compete in the Olympic games in Milan on a ruptured ACL. It is astonishing enough that the 41-year-old is still performing on this elite level, much less with a serious injury that would end many alpine skiing careers.

I am no doctor, but it would seem that she is risking long-term physical repercussions by refusing to hang up her skis at this point. Lindsey is smart, beautiful and has a long life ahead of her once she retires from the slopes. With a net worth estimated at $14 million, you have to wonder what would drive her to do this.

It should be noted that Vonn does not owe any of us an explanation. However, since we often use sports as a metaphor to make sense of our lives and the nature of the human condition in general, it is interesting to ponder why some of our most revered athletic superstars sometimes play way past their primes.

Did Neil Young have some kind of insight into this type of thing when he sang: “It’s better to burn out than fade away?”

Athletes extending their careers can go either way

Recent examples of athletes extending their careers include striking examples of both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

Our collective consciousness is raised a few levels with excitement when “old guys” like NFL quarterback Phillip Rivers and soccer superstar Lionel Messi play at the highest levels of greatness in their respective sports.

On the other end of that spectrum, it is difficult to see our heroes take a fall by refusing to hang it up and call it a day when the times comes. Case in point: Mike Tyson, getting pummeled by a much younger social media influencer/turned boxer, Jake Paul.

It has been my experience working with elite athletes that it is not uncommon for many of them to base most of their self worth on their athletic performance. Because they have spent so much time honing their skills, it is only natural to identify with being athletes.

However, it is not healthy to overidentify in this manner, as their self-esteem will drop every time they have fallen short of their own performance expectations. Every athlete is going to have good days and bad days, as they are not able to control every variable related to their performance.

Athletes need skills to cope with bad performances

To counter this mindset, I encourage them to develop “multiple identities.”

One exercise I conduct to help them develop their multiple identities is to have them make a list of ten things that they are. Almost every time, the first item on their list is “basketball player” or “Olympic bobsledder” or whatever sport they play.

Often, they are hard pressed to list only a few of their “other selves.” I’ll give them clues like: you’re a son or a daughter, you’re a pet lover, you like reading, you like nature, etc., etc.

Once we have their lists done, I encourage them to pull their lists out and look at them when they have bad performances or off days. Research shows that when we have a bad day, reflecting on our well-rounded, multi-faceted lives can serve as a buffer from stress.

I often correct athletes when they say something like: “I am a basketball player.” They look at me strangely when I reply: “No you’re not. You are a guy who plays basketball. You play it very well most of the time, but that doesn’t define you fully.”

Nuance is important here. Words matter in the way in which we speak and think about ourselves.

One day, a young man will not be able to play basketball. He may blow his knee out, or he may retire after a long career. Whatever the case may be, there will come a time when his playing career is done, and he will need to have cultivated a strong sense of self that extends well beyond the court.

With Vonn, maybe the pain is the point

As for Vonn, there are probably many reasons why she is skiing injured at her age. In these types of cases, there isn’t usually a single answer to why.

Often, we speculate about athletes' “why” because this type of contemplation gives us insight into the mindset of all-time greats, people we respect and admire.

Whatever the case may be, I am not judging her. In his seminal masterpiece, "Man’s Search for Meaning," Viktor Frankl may have the answer: “In some way, suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning.”

I have no doubt there is meaning behind Vonn’s suffering, and that should be good enough for all of us.

Greg Graber, the author of "Slow Your Roll — Mindfulness for Fast Times," is a mental performance coach for elite athletes. More information about him is on his website: www.greggraber.com.