Discover Your Unique Path to Success in Sports

The search for success in sports can cause us to lose our compass, namely, getting caught up in comparing ourselves to others. Comparison (envy) is the thief of joy.

Why are comparisons so dangerous?

No matter how well things are going for you in sports or life, there will always be someone who "appears" to be doing better. But here's the thing: Others' achievements have nothing to do with your success or happiness.

Sport is about competing with someone else, and winning matters. But sport is also about competing with yourself. Character counts. Finding your purpose allows you to achieve optimal performance, free from fear and comparison.

Being able to answer the question you're asking yourself—"Why are you competing?" closes the subconscious mind off unconscious fears, desires, and ambitions. When you don't know why you're competing, you're playing to win the girl/boy, gain financial security, or an expensive car, leading to comparison.

Meanwhile, your purpose requires thoughtfulness. You are unique. Your team is unique. And the community you live in is exceptional. 

To help you gain a character advantage, I want you to think about your origin story. I love origin stories. My favorite superhero is Captain America. Steve Rogers is frail from having polio as a child and, when he grows up, tries to join the Army to fight in World War II. But he can't pass the physical. But Rogers keeps trying so hard to get into the Army that eventually, Rogers joins a dangerous secret experimental program. Rogers is injected with a super soldier serum right before Nazis sabotage the program, and he survives the injection to become the only super soldier.

The origins of Captain America and the early hardship and physical challenges Steve Rogers faced formed the character that guided him as he became Captain America.

What is your origin story? Why are you playing the sport you are playing? I love the Captain America origin story because I remember playing sports with other children who had polio. My parents were missionaries in a country that had not eradicated polio yet. Our good friends ran a polio home for children. While I could use my legs, they all wore braces and ran with crutches. So when we played soccer, I had to play with my head on a swivel because they would take me out. I don't remember feeling sorry for them. I remember competing, playing soccer on a dirt field, and having so much fun. So, I continued to play a game that I felt very fortunate to play without braces or crutches.

Your origin story doesn't have to be dramatic. It just needs to have meaning for you. It is your earliest memory of why you like playing and competing. Reflecting on your story helps to anchor you as you search for success in sports.