Brave and meet the challenge Seven Billion There’s an estimated seven billion people on earth. There are many directions we can go with this. I’m going with my human and coaching experience. I see too many athletes filled with fear. Fear is apprehension, anxiety, doubt, and hesitation. It’s mostly self-induced and like a parking break engaged on a vehicle, you’re only partially effective, but release the parking brake and you’re freed to your potential. Where did all this fear and doubt come from? Maybe it’s parent pressure, coaching pressure, certainly society pressure but mostly self-induced stress. If we’re giving a bucket and asked to fill it with fear, it remains empty. All of this uncertainty is something we subtly do to our self. If this is mostly self-induced, then we can also subside or refrain with awareness and adjustment. I’ll argue that the human journey is steeped in fear. Most will have to learn to compete and carry-on with various and fluctuating fears and doubts. We tend to base our self-worth on accomplishments, wins and losses, promotions, likes on Facebook, cars, houses, bank accounts, country clubs, stupid social circles, and education levels and how ridicules is all this? Very ridicules when you see the big picture of seven billion people on earth and each one of them has their own mind, concerns, doubts, problems, interest, goals, wins, losses, etc. If you stand seven billion people next to each other, you will get a little bit of everything and see that we are just a very minute presence on this earth. One design that comes to mind is not to take our self so serious - I certainly need this reminder. We make big deals out of nothing. We complicate what’s requires a simple solution. We carry around hundred pound feathers, for what? Stay with me on this next statement and you may disagree. As humans, we all rise and fall with our self-esteem, self-worth and need to prove our self; this is as human as human can be. But all of this pressure and doubt is a form, in my opinion, of self-absorption. We’re so deep into our self that we become sightless. We’re so deep into how we’re viewed and our place in this world depends on if we win / lose or succeed in the eyes of others. What hogwash!!! Why do we have to prove our self to anyone? We don’t! But saying this and actually feeling this is very different. Don’t we have value because we’re a human being? Would you ever tell your kids, friends, family, athletes that their value depends on winning and losing? I doubt it! If you do then back to Gilligan’s Island you go, and it’s safe to say you never really competed or you would know how tough it really is, especially wrestling. This is my experience as an athlete, coach, and human being. I think all this win or die is nonsense. I don’t subscribe. I’m all for investing everything in goals and dreams but when the goals and dreams are constantly under a cloud of fear, doubt, and pressure to the point the athlete is only competing at a fraction of their potential, then an adjustment and rephrasing needs to be made. Frankly, some athletes need to toughen-up, take responsibility, and stop trying to find ways out or waiting for everything to be perfect. Remember, you signed up for this and there will be challenges and difficulties’. So what? You’re going to have trials but you can meet the challenge. Competition and life will rarely or never be perfect! Now, with this being said, we have to help athletes, but the bulk of this responsibility falls on the athlete. No one has more say than the individual, NO ONE! Most competitors don’t want to leave it in anyone else’s hands. They know only they can do what needs to be done for themselves. Athletes, rise to the challenge! It’s just a challenge and a challenge you can meet. I got news for you, regardless of what happens in athletics and life, life and people go on and really without taking much notice because most people are concerned with their own lives, challenges, and outcomes. Athletes should be taught to manage their mind like they’re taught and drill a single leg takedown or memorize dates in a classroom. You don’t need a degree in psychology; this might be more confusing. How about simple common sense? I recently watched two better wrestlers, in my opinion, lose. I see this often. They have placed the weight of the world on their shoulders. As we sat and talked, still sweating from the match, I asked them to look at the gym filled with people and they were all watching the current match. No one was staring or keying on them because they lost. They already moved on. I think many athletes would compete much better with this realization. I’m not promoting being ok with losing and I’m certainly not saying losing doesn’t hurt, it does, but again when it’s destroying the athletes potential, results, and experience, then we have to bring attention there is a way to manage this, but it has to come from the person / athlete themselves. Listen, to improve your single leg takes effort and to improve your thinking takes effort. There is no way in the world to graft a new idea on a closed mind. Since only we can do this for ourselves, we need awareness and action. Our resistance to change seems built in. Yet, your situation will not stay the same. It will get worse or better. Think about it - Seven billion, fear not, and meet the challenge. You have what you need right now. Something this valuable will be challenging, but it’s also an undertaking you can meet. We’re certainly important to our loved ones but in the light of seven billion people, we’re not a big deal. A wrestling win or loss is not that big of deal. Life, people, and everything in the world goes on, and we have to make a conscious decision to move on with it or stay in the self-induced prison. These self-induced prisons can be beneficial if for short terms, but a long-sentence is unnecessary and unproductive If you’re a Christian athlete, then you believe in God. But do you trust God? If you trust God, then there is no need for fear because regardless if you win or lose, everything will be ok, and its part of a much bigger picture. I understand that we don’t always get what we want, work for, or even deserve in this life. Acceptance can be very difficult for all of us. The most common phrase in the Bible says to “Fear not” “have no fear” I may not occupy the front row of the local parish on Sunday morning, but I can read. This tells me fear is nothing new but there is an answer. I believe there is a way to get to every person. There is a place in every individual where they can meet the challenge and deal with the outcome. Forget about the end result – winning or losing, just meet the challenge. What’s the challenge? Swinging the bat! And if you suffer defeat, then the time between the loss and the next competition is what matters most. You still have value. In the big picture, yours and my loss is as significant as losing in checkers to Elmer at the town barber shop. It means little in the scope of your entire life. There will be more challenges, victories and loses, so forget about the win or die, or be prepared for a very short life because you won’t get far in life without taking beatings of multiple variation. I’m all for investment, and when you invest a lot and come up short, it can be devastating. However, the alternative is self-destruct. Move on and look forward to your next opportunity to succeed, your next challenge. No more starting the race 15 mental yards behind. This is unnecessary, self-deception, and self-sabotage. Get up to the starting line and you’ll have a different experience. As a kid, you were likely afraid of the dark? You later know there’s nothing to fear but you fill the unknown with doubt and fear. Instead of questioning your readiness, question your doubts. You have to continue to move forward regardless. I’m all for a little grieving time but when it gets too thick and too heavy there must be an adjustment, like they say “If you’re in hell, keep walking. It’s time to brave and meet your challenges without all of this avoidable fear. Remember, you won’t stay the same. You’ll improve or regress. What are you going to do? Meet the challenge. Summary 1. Seven billion people on earth 2. Fear is mostly self-induced and can be adjusted and managed 3. Don’t take yourself so serious – ease 4. You have value because you’re a human being 5. You can meet the challenge – what is the challenge? Swinging the bat!! 6. You have more say than anyone else and only you can make the change 7. You must apply effort and open mind to improve 8. You will not stay the same. You will progress or regress. 9. “Fear not” “Have no fear” 10. Always continue to move forward
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 13:38:41 +0000
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