“Success is taking responsibility for where you are and doing something about it. Sometimes that means an adjustment or letting something go. Only settle for what makes you happy. Never put limits on what that can look like.” – Coach Misty
I don’t care what anyone says, no one can take responsibility for your life except for you. There comes a point when you are no longer a child and it’s time to admit that you are not helpless. You may come by people who have your best interest but know that you’re the one who has to make choices and build a life for the long run.
You may watch people who are older than you fall and say to yourself, “it won’t happen to me.” For athletes, this might mean seeing someone get to the next level only to lose an opportunity because of a mistake. Whatever the struggle might be, know that you’re going to come across temptation and adversity no matter what you do. So get mentally tough and get to know yourself now. The sooner you build up your will, commitment, and focus, the better. Set yourself up for success as an athlete and success after sports.
Taking Responsibility for Your Success as an Athlete Now
Whatever your goals are, one thing is for sure: only you can make it happen. In other words, your team can’t win a championship when everyone is sitting on the sidelines. In your personal life, you are your own team. You have to choose the strategy, the plays, the practice, your coaches, etc.
Only you can:
- Control your ability to dig deep
- Choose your goal and take the steps to get there
- Commit to greatness
- Train your mindset
- Limit distractions
- Choose your response in any given situation
- Get back up after you fall
- Put in maximum effort
- Trust your instinct
Setting Yourself up for Life After Sports
Time passes and life changes. If you’re 20 now, five years from now you’ll be 25. There’s no other way around it. Make decisions and put things in place to set yourself up for your future. I can promise you that you’ll have to adjust from time-to-time, but where you go is up to you.
There are always new goals along the journey because life changes. At 50/60/70 years old, which is going to come much, much faster than you think, you’re not going to be running drills to be a starter on a team. Eventually, the teams and coaches will move on to the next athlete and then where will you be? Give yourself the tools now.
Every superstar knows how to adjust to their circumstances and make smart business decisions for their future. Many times those decisions aren’t easy or fun, but it’s the big picture that counts. Choose where you want to be, pick a smaller goal that’ll help you get there, make the decisions and take the action to get there. You’ll want to choose a goal for your life as an athlete and a goal for life after sports. While your life as an athlete may absolutely help you get to the next step, give yourself a foundation to stand on.
To sum it up: Know where you are and where you are going. Be relentless about your goal and singularly focused. Don’t depend on any one person or place blame on anyone. Work with a purpose. Stay hungry.