People use various terms when they are not winning to help them keep going, determination, grit, willpower, and fortitude. They use these terms to point toward self-control. When you can't control the circumstances around you, it is only natural to focus on what you can control.
But if you're a player, control is what you are attempting to master in soccer, like the skill to control the ball. You are using tactics to control your opponent. And you're doing this because you're playing to win. This is what it means to compete.
This is the plan that you start out with. But in a competition, you also strive against someone else exerting control. The opponent is dueling with you using their skill. They are countering your tactics with theirs. And they are doing everything they can do for you to lose. By playing to win. By playing fair. And playing with respect. But of course, this is not always the case either.
As an athlete, you live in the constant transition between control and loss of control. When you're winning, you are experiencing the fruit of your effort positively. When you're losing, you are experiencing the fruit of your effort in a negative way. It's in these transitional moments that your spirit is tested the most. Your confidence can either grow through struggle, or you can allow your heart to weaken.
You are in control of this process. You cannot allow fear to control you. Yet, fear is the most significant barrier to optimal performance. After a loss is a time to fix your eyes on what you value most, reorient yourself toward your goals and purpose, and dare to make the decisions required to win your next game. Or, if your spirit weakens, you lose sight of what you value, lose your way toward your goals and purpose, and are left discouraged to make the decisions you know are required to win.
Join Next Level Soccer Academy today. Gain access to training sessions to grow the human spirit, strengthen your competitive mindset, and develop your skills to get to the next level. The secret to success is to never walk alone!
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