I'm very disciplined in many aspects of my life, and I think a lot of that has to do with how I was raised and the sport I've been in my whole life.
Jonathan HortonAfter thorough reflection, I realized that my desire to achieve my goals in this sport outweighed my self-doubt. This perseverance has helped me to be successful not only in gymnastics, but in my non-athletic life as well.
Jonathan HortonIโm a true believer in the mental side of gymnastics โ the 95% mental and 5% physical. Itโs totally true. As you get to an older age, at 25 years old, Iโve pretty much learned everything that I need to learn in gymnastics. Now itโs, can I mentally push through the daily grind? Can I push through the small injuries and the aches and pains?
Jonathan HortonThere's mornings where I have to clear my mind and think, "OK, why am I doing this? Why am I putting myself through this kind of training every day?" I can literally see myself standing on top of a medal podium winning a gold medal next to my teammates, something I've never accomplished. It reminds me: That's why I do what I do. That's why I love it. Let's get in the gym and have a good workout.
Jonathan HortonWhen I was 22, I finally reached that huge goal. Now I'm going for another one. It's so satisfying. It's something that I worked for for so long, and just to know that I got it feels so great.
Jonathan HortonWhen I moved down to Houston, I had people who were willing to support me with sponsorships and different endorsement deals. That's really how I stayed afloat. It isn't ridiculous money where you can live however you want - I still have to be disciplined - but I've been very blessed with having people to support me.
Jonathan Horton