WHAT IF YOUR BEST PERFORMANCE IS HIDDEN BEHIND TRYING TO PROVE YOU’RE GOOD ENOUGH?
Last weekend, I raced again.
A new area.
Incredible views.
Running along the high rocky coast, looking out over the Adriatic Sea.
I loved every minute of it.
But as the race started, I noticed something familiar.
I didn’t know any of the other runners.
One guy immediately went ahead of everyone.
And my mind went:
"Today might not be my day. This guy is really fast."
Then I asked myself:
“Am I here to give my best… or am I racing according to the impression I want to give?”
The answer was clear.
I was there to give my best.
And that answer created my strategy.
It determined how I wanted to pace myself, how I wanted to respond when things got difficult, and how I wanted to show up throughout the race.
I’ve learned that when you race to create an impression, you only truly enjoy the experience when everything goes well.
When you’re winning.
When you’re on the podium.
When the result validates you.
But what happens when it doesn’t?
You suffer.
I’m learning to approach racing differently.
Before I race, I want to create a vision of who I want to be, rather than deciding what result
I need to have.
I want to be someone who is courageous when it gets hard.
Someone who stays present.
Someone who gives everything they have been given.
Someone who is grateful simply for the opportunity to race.
That last one has become especially important to me.
Before thinking about a time, a position, or a competitor, I want to be thankful to God for the opportunity to be there.
I don't need to prove anything.
I get to race.
And I get to discover what I am capable of.
That mindset has changed how I experience competition.
I might not be always satisfied with my average pace, final results etc...
But I will be JOYFULLY FULFILLED by how I show up.
And that’s a much more powerful place to perform from.
Because:
Who you choose to be determines what you do.
What you do determines what you have.
So this summer, one of my biggest mental performance practices has been creating a vision specifically for the difficult moments.
Because when difficulty arrives,
something will shape your behaviour.
If you don't decide what that will be beforehand, the difficulty itself will decide for you.
This applies far beyond sport.
Athletes.
Entrepreneurs.
CEOs.
Leaders.
Don’t only create a vision for the result you want.
Create a vision for who you want to be when the result is uncertain.
Because that person will determine what you do next.
And what you do next is what creates the possibility of the result you want.
If you want support creating that vision, and learning how to apply it to your performance, leadership, and the people around you, I’d be happy to connect.
When the moment gets difficult, who have you decided you want to be?
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