Coach CW -1980s. What really drives an athlete? Is it really only about winning and losing? There is certainly a lot that drives us athletes. Here is an interesting perspective.
Losing is like an Aunt, Uncle, or Parent who did a lot of devolving in their life and then passed on. As the child watching, you still learn a lot of what not to do from them. That is one of the best gifts they could have given you without even knowing, but it is up to you to pay attention -especially to the details.
True athletes, primarily at the highest levels may or may not have realized that what they fear/feared the most is losing. That is what drives you to learn the details of your mistakes and the details of mastering them, along with the details of succeeding and learning to become a selfless teammate. That fear can manifest itself in you 2 ways. The first it scares you and give in (follow). The second is it challenges you and you answer the challenge head on.
What this is leading to is that in team sports, you have your teammates and the opponents have theirs. What most do not realize is the game itself is also a player. It's like a Joker. It is your job as individuals to trust each other and work together seamlessly to win over the Joker for your team. The better the game plan and execution, the more likely you are to win the Joker over. However, poor execution, lack of discipline/focus, and not performing at the top of your game -together as a unit will bring your worst nightmare -loss.
Please keep in mind athletics is a business at the competitive level, so when you lose you keep your head. Remember the feeling of loss and drop the emotion. Congratulate your opponent and move on. The feeling of defeat is an empty one, so your emotional mechanism will want to fill that void with rage. Why, well emotion comes from the Latin word that means to "disrupt". Keep your head.
Part of your DNA as an athlete/competitor is knowing winning will never feel as good as losing hurts, particularly in the "big games", the ones that can define you, your team, and your career. No matter like Troy Aikman (Dallas Cowboys, QB, with 3 Superbowl wins) stated; "It is never as bad as you think or as great as you think". So as I was saying prior, it is that fear that either collapses you or drives you. If it drives you, then you are a competitor and performer/producer. It is that drive that makes you get back up, be better prepared, and work on executing at your highest level -again and again, then lets you play altruistically in your role with a quiet confidence.
Ultimately, it is that same drive in you to defeat fear and own the Joker for your team that helps you rise to the occasion, when the game is on the line, and you get the ball. So practice, practice, practice, to refine the details and enrich every opportunity that comes your way. That is the leading cause of successful outcomes. -Cheers, Co-Founder, CW
Losing is like an Aunt, Uncle, or Parent who did a lot of devolving in their life and then passed on. As the child watching, you still learn a lot of what not to do from them. That is one of the best gifts they could have given you without even knowing, but it is up to you to pay attention -especially to the details.
True athletes, primarily at the highest levels may or may not have realized that what they fear/feared the most is losing. That is what drives you to learn the details of your mistakes and the details of mastering them, along with the details of succeeding and learning to become a selfless teammate. That fear can manifest itself in you 2 ways. The first it scares you and give in (follow). The second is it challenges you and you answer the challenge head on.
What this is leading to is that in team sports, you have your teammates and the opponents have theirs. What most do not realize is the game itself is also a player. It's like a Joker. It is your job as individuals to trust each other and work together seamlessly to win over the Joker for your team. The better the game plan and execution, the more likely you are to win the Joker over. However, poor execution, lack of discipline/focus, and not performing at the top of your game -together as a unit will bring your worst nightmare -loss.
Please keep in mind athletics is a business at the competitive level, so when you lose you keep your head. Remember the feeling of loss and drop the emotion. Congratulate your opponent and move on. The feeling of defeat is an empty one, so your emotional mechanism will want to fill that void with rage. Why, well emotion comes from the Latin word that means to "disrupt". Keep your head.
Part of your DNA as an athlete/competitor is knowing winning will never feel as good as losing hurts, particularly in the "big games", the ones that can define you, your team, and your career. No matter like Troy Aikman (Dallas Cowboys, QB, with 3 Superbowl wins) stated; "It is never as bad as you think or as great as you think". So as I was saying prior, it is that fear that either collapses you or drives you. If it drives you, then you are a competitor and performer/producer. It is that drive that makes you get back up, be better prepared, and work on executing at your highest level -again and again, then lets you play altruistically in your role with a quiet confidence.
Ultimately, it is that same drive in you to defeat fear and own the Joker for your team that helps you rise to the occasion, when the game is on the line, and you get the ball. So practice, practice, practice, to refine the details and enrich every opportunity that comes your way. That is the leading cause of successful outcomes. -Cheers, Co-Founder, CW
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