When I was young I dreamed of 3-2 counts bases loaded and hitting the ball out of the park, throwing a game winning touchdown, and hitting the game winning shot at the buzzer. There were no limitations and the sky was the limit. No one made me live in their version of "reality." I am sure there was a time in your life when you felt the same freedom. When did we start "playing it safe?" When did we begin telling ourselves, "be real, you can't do that," or worse, listening to others tell us what we can and can't do? Fear of failure and lowering the bar to make sure we can succeed has become too much of the norm.
It is time to revert back to our childhood! It is time to play without fear and bask in the glory of the successes we lived out in the minds of our childhood selves. Raise the bar and live in a time of Great Expectations. It is time to once again reach for the stars instead of keeping our feet planted on the ground where we try to control our performances by being watered-down, "safe" athletes.
In order to truly have a memorable season, a season of no regrets, there has to be high expectations. We need to stretch ourselves. It is time to once again let our feet leave the ground and BELIEVE that we can reach new heights, and turn a deaf ear to the mumblings around us that try to stifle our flight.
"Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Marianne Williamson, Author
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2 comments:
it is something that we had in being crutchers where someone telling you that you cant do something only made you want to do it more. especially with sports no matter what it was. i loved the challenge and wanted to be the one that had the ball in my hands, or at my feet, at the end of the game when my team needed it the most. something that was instilled in us either inherently or learned. i am not sure if everyone is or was as lucky as we were to see sports in the way our family did.. maybe some of your readers could share some of their stories.
Good point Ghavinn, along with a great question to ponder. Another nature vs. nature arguement. Is the ability to "go for it" to reach beyond what most would dare a trait you are born with or something that is learned? That would be a good question to debate.
As for our childhood, it is interesting how none of us ever shied from a challenge. I am sure it had something to do with our childhood and not being allowed to sit in from of a television all day, but that is probably just a small part of it. I would like to think that there are traits that make people more eager to achieve greatness, but I am a firm believer that those traits can be learned.
I would love for some of the readers to share their thoughts and stories on this matter.
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