Meet Chari Hawkins | USA Heptathlete & Gold Medalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chari Hawkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chari, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
As a professional athlete who has been in the game a while, one of the main topics of my conversations with my coaches and families at the end of each Track and Field season is “Is it time to retire?” This sport is amazing, but in the same breath, it is also all- consuming. My life must rise and fall with what the sport demands. To help me answer this, I’ve come up with 3 questions to know if I am ready to move forward or if I want to keep going.

1: Am I still enjoying this?

Life doesn’t ALWAYS have to be fun. You don’t ALWAYS need to smile. It’s ok… and normal… to have a bad day, week, month, etc. But overall, when I think about my time spent on the track, learning, growing, developing and training, did the process of it make my happier? Did it bring me joy? Did I love it? We get one life. And believe me, I have been doing track and field for 15 years, and it’s scary to think about it ending. This is all I know and what is comfortable to me. But if it isn’t bringing my life happiness, it has no business taking up so much of my precious time.

2: Am I getting better?

Now I ask myself this specifically in my athletic event with scores, times, and heights; but it can be asked across all sorts of platforms and circumstances. Improvement and purpose is of such high value to my life that I cannot be complacent and remaining stagnant. The moment I beleive I have reached my highest potential, I will celebrate, thank the many people who have helped me achieve it, and begin a new journey where I can learn, grow, achieve, and conquer.

3: Does it make sense in my life?

Track and field is physically demanding. Not just on your body, but your mind, your time, your social calendar, and family time. It’s such a sacrifice on so many aspects, and I believe at some point, those sacrifices will outweigh the rewards. For instance, when I decide to have a family, If I have a greater opportunity come my way, or if I am in a circumstance where my athletics can no longer support me financially.

If even one of these is a “no”, it’s time to hang up the spikes!

It was also really important for me to learn that there are times that we outgrow our goals. “giving up” is such a dreadful, fearful thought process… makes us feel like failures. But what if it wasn’t? What if, instead of stopping and seeing it as negative, we were able to think of it as upgrading? It’s time to let go of this, so we can free up our hands for something even better. When I’m going after my goals and I’m wondering if I should stop, I say to myself “It’s this, or something way better… I’m great with both”

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a professional track and field athlete. Was it a decent athlete in high school, yes. But when I went to college, I learned that I really wasn’t as good as I thought I would be. But some thing I did have was the passion to be better, to be the best I possibly COULD be. Honestly, the only thing that really sets me apart from others is that I’ve stayed on my journey so long! I TRULY believe that we can achieve ANYTHING, as long as we are willing to put in the work, and patient.

Some thing that I found along my journey is how important the mind is, and how we should always strive to make it stronger, just like we do with our muscles.

I love to share my story to help people find their own way, help them learn more about running, to help provide them with motivation, and I hopefully allow them to see a little bit of themselves within me, as I share my struggles, frustrations, losses, successes, happiness, joy, and life with them day by day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am from Idaho. Most of my friends are currently living in the Snow and freezing cold right now. The number one place I will take him would be the beautiful SD beaches. The Cove, PB, and a day at mission. I would take them to a movie night at the rooftop cinema club, to dinner at Tom’s Lighthouse with the incredible city view, and a cliff side morning hike to watch the sunrise and start the morning off magically. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to take a drive. The majesty of mountainous terrain mixed with the peaceful ocean horizon is almost humbling. I love it here.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have so many that have been on my journey to success. I could write for days about those who have gone out of their way to help, guide, heal, and support me through my life. I hope each of them know that I am as behind them in life as they have been behind me.

I think someone who more than deserves a shoutout is my husband. He and I met 13 years ago, and since I have known him, he has never once attempted to dim my light. In fact, he has done more to brighten it than even I have at times. He has believed in me when my own faith faltered, held me accountable when I didn’t want to put in the extra effort, and cheered me on even on days I was doing absolutely terrible.

I think there is this thought that we need to be alone on our journey to success. That we will somehow deserve it more if we suffer in solitude. But the truth is my track journey would have ended a long time ago without him. Having someone to remind you of your “why” is an incredible way to get to your “what” that much quicker.

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