The Winning Perspective

We don’t compare apples and oranges, so why are we so adamant about comparing ourselves to others? Keeping a healthy mindset in regards to sports competitions is crucial to our children’s happiness, so here are some reminders for us all.

The Definition of a Win

 What does it really mean to win? Does it mean taking home the shiny gold medal on every single event? Is beating your past records? Is making it to the competition on time, dressed without any wardrobe malfunctions? They all are wins. Each one of them is a moment to be celebrated.

The Small Victories

“Those who celebrate the small victories, win the game over and over again.” Every time an athlete does a skill bigger or better it should be celebrated. And if they do a new skill for the very first time, well get out the confetti and ring that victory bell. Athletes don’t necessarily need to go to a meet and take home four gold medals to have an incredible sense of accomplishment. Every time they accomplish something new or perfect a skill that they have been working on it’s a win.

Know Your Competition

Understanding that every single athlete at a competition trains differently is vital to understanding why the only real competition is yourself. Some athletes train three hours a week, with minimal equipment and have only been doing their sport for a few months. Others are home schooled, train 20+ hours a week and have state of the art equipment. Both models can make sense depending on your athlete's goals, but you can see how this would be an unfair comparison.

Reclaiming the Power

Before a competition, most athletes develop a sense of excitement, nervousness, or both. By acknowledging that you are your only real competition, athletes are able to not only take some of the pressure off of a competition but also focus on exactly what they need to do to give their best performance.

The Value of Perspective

 After a meet, medals are stored in a closet or maybe on display for a few years, but ultimately they gather dust. However, the feeling the athletes get when they receive something when their efforts and talents are recognized is why they desire those medals or awards so immensely. What we often forget is that our words and actions as parents and coaches can be more powerful than a medal ever will be.

Bottom Line

We can change the narrative. We can decide who wins the competition. Maybe we do not have control over how many deductions the judge tallies up or how a sports official calls the plays, and maybe we don’t have control over who our competitors are, but what we do have control over is how we view our victories. Here at Balance 180, we believe in celebrating every single victory our athletes have and cherishing the friendships and memories that we all create together. And that readers, that is how you win the game..