FEAR. The one thing that, more than the toughest opponent, can bring down the most talented of competitors.
I addressed the topic of fear in a previous post, FEAR or TRUST, which told the story of British rugby great Jonny Wilkinson, and his struggles with his own fear as he made his way through his career from self-doubt to confidence.
The topic of fear was part of a talk given recently by former U.S. President Barack Obama as he addressed the current political climate in America.
President Obama talked about the fact that much of what is currently happening in the U.S. is guided by a "politics of fear." His remarks caused me to think about how, in one way or another, the challenges faced by virtually every athlete I have worked with in my 25 years of sport psychology work stemmed from some sort of fear (fear of messing up, fear of disappointing others, fear of being benched, fear of falling short of one's goals ... mostly involving some sort of loss).
These fears - the fears that any of us face - may well be hard-wired within us. Historian Jon Meacham has noted that "Fear is among the oldest of human forces." At any rate, our fears are very basic and hard to overcome (whether in athletic competition or in our social and national life).*
Paralleling Wilkinson's own journey from fear to trust, President Obama eloquently called for a move from the politics of fear to the politics of hope. If, as suggested above, our fears are our "default mode," then such a shift requires clear motivation, deliberate efforts, and thought-out strategies to enable us to replace fear with hope and trust.
The only way forward - the only way to adapt to whatever circumstances life throws our way - involves making those efforts, as hard as that may be. And perhaps also accepting that some fear will always be with us, but knowing that MANAGEABLE fears can even be part of what propels us forward.
When we are able to find the COURAGE - in measure large or small - to face our fears and reach past them, then the kinds of strategies we can develop on our own or with the help of a sport psychology professional, can surely help us move from fear to hope.
* Meacham writes in "The Soul of America, "Fear is caused by whatever we feel has great power of destroying us, or of harming us in ways that cause us great pain. Fear feeds anxiety and produces anger. The opposite of fear is hope. Hope breeds optimism and looks forward. Fear points at others, assigning blame; hope points ahead."
I addressed the topic of fear in a previous post, FEAR or TRUST, which told the story of British rugby great Jonny Wilkinson, and his struggles with his own fear as he made his way through his career from self-doubt to confidence.
The topic of fear was part of a talk given recently by former U.S. President Barack Obama as he addressed the current political climate in America.
President Obama talked about the fact that much of what is currently happening in the U.S. is guided by a "politics of fear." His remarks caused me to think about how, in one way or another, the challenges faced by virtually every athlete I have worked with in my 25 years of sport psychology work stemmed from some sort of fear (fear of messing up, fear of disappointing others, fear of being benched, fear of falling short of one's goals ... mostly involving some sort of loss).
These fears - the fears that any of us face - may well be hard-wired within us. Historian Jon Meacham has noted that "Fear is among the oldest of human forces." At any rate, our fears are very basic and hard to overcome (whether in athletic competition or in our social and national life).*
Paralleling Wilkinson's own journey from fear to trust, President Obama eloquently called for a move from the politics of fear to the politics of hope. If, as suggested above, our fears are our "default mode," then such a shift requires clear motivation, deliberate efforts, and thought-out strategies to enable us to replace fear with hope and trust.
The only way forward - the only way to adapt to whatever circumstances life throws our way - involves making those efforts, as hard as that may be. And perhaps also accepting that some fear will always be with us, but knowing that MANAGEABLE fears can even be part of what propels us forward.
When we are able to find the COURAGE - in measure large or small - to face our fears and reach past them, then the kinds of strategies we can develop on our own or with the help of a sport psychology professional, can surely help us move from fear to hope.
* Meacham writes in "The Soul of America, "Fear is caused by whatever we feel has great power of destroying us, or of harming us in ways that cause us great pain. Fear feeds anxiety and produces anger. The opposite of fear is hope. Hope breeds optimism and looks forward. Fear points at others, assigning blame; hope points ahead."
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