Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.
Fear will paralyze you as an athlete and keep you from performing at your best. Here’s what you can do about it.
Key Points:
- Fear can cause athletes to experience sub-par performance. Tony calls it “competing in quicksand.”
- Tony’s problem was that he placed his value in the wrong thing – his ability and identity as an athlete. He had to realize his true value and that winning or losing didn’t change who he was.
- When Tony realized his true identity, he also realized he had nothing to lose. And he could live and compete like he had nothing to lose. He was set free to be and do his best.
Quote This:
By participating in a sport, an individual is making a social statement about who they are and how they want others think of them. –Suzanne Pottratz
See Also: Athletes, College, Identity
Talk About It
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Have you ever struggled with fear – not just nerves – in athletics? Explain.
- What spoke to you most about Tony’s story? Why?
- Where do you place your identity? Why?
- How does having the right perspective about our identity give us the power to succeed in life and understand our true value?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
