As a child, we played sports for the fun of it. For the enjoyment of it. For the thrill of it. As we got older, we began associating “my” performance with meaning something about “me” — my value, my worth, my reputation. We create a sense of pressure to need to perform a certain way, to not mess up, to please our coach, teammates and parents. This is a lot to carry and feels quite heavy!
Sometimes we have a great performance and sometimes we have a not so great performance. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. In either case, the opportunity exists for growth and future achievement.
When we go out to the field/court/rink (or office/meeting), free and open to whatever shows up, we are naturally in a state of flow and clarity (our true nature), and performance is “just happening” and requires no thought. It’s easy, natural and sometimes we feel like it comes out of nowhere. We cannot predict how the game is going to go, no matter how much we’ve prepared for it, but we can be aware of our state of mind and in a state of clarity, we can be responsive, free and agile in each moment. Doesn’t that feel much lighter?
We each have innate well-being and no external circumstance can diminish that. Let the ball you dropped, the goal you missed, the game the team lost, all go. How much time would you have spent thinking, dwelling and ruminating on it as a child?
Show up open and ready for the next moment because there is always another moment to try again. And, you are still a whole and complete human being, just like you were when the game started.