I was reading something the other day that struck me. It was a response to someone who had claimed their career was ruined by a few experts who told them they would never be any good. Those critics drove this person away from success. Their career was acting and the responses were swift!
Most went like this, “You are not that good if the opinion of others, even experts, matter to you. Have a backbone and believe in yourself!”
How does this apply to racquetball??
Athletes come to me with a dream, a vision of how good they can be. Usually that vision is too low! The thinking is always results oriented, therefore often they come to me in crisis mode! I want them to achieve more than they dreamed of! Hard work and correct technique gets anyone toward their goal but the next step takes courage. Courage to get those final two points in that 9-9 tiebreaker. Courage to beat a nemesis you have never defeated. Courage to go the rare air at the top of your game, whatever the level!
Bear with me here! Personal story alert!
I can think of two players back in the day I had to defeat. One for the city championship and one for the regional championship. Both of those “first time I ever beat them” matches came after several people told me I would never beat them. I was told that I just wasn’t that good. In fact, as a coach I am still told I am not that good by some people. I do have to point out the results as I did a few days ago. Thank goodness I have never listened or believed those negative prognosticators!
Since those days I have taken many athletes to way beyond that place where I went as a player. And I have learned that all of us have the same demons! Excellence means working on your craft and believing in yourself. It also means not listening to people who tell you that you can’t! While you are at it, don’t listen to those who tell you how great you are either. Just keep working on your craft!
Go get’em Tigers!!