As an athlete, your goal is to be the best in your sport and be recognized as among top competitors. In striving to become the best, you will come across something that will try to keep you from contributing more to your team. It will keep you from stepping up. It comes from not wanting to risk your position or status on your team or in your teammates’ view. This feeling can keep you from becoming, the Go-To-Person (recall my article, Are You the Go-To-Person?) of your team, if you give into it. That something is the fear of being embarrassed.
Now you look foolish.
Now you look like you don’t know what you’re doing.
I messed up. Now they’re going to think I can’t play.
The above reflects the thoughts of an athlete who is embarrassed. Once upon a time that athlete was me. These kinds of thoughts can keep you from wanting to step up or keep trying because of the fear of being embarrassed.
Fear is a feeling.
It arises when you are afraid of losing something you value.
In this case, I was afraid of losing my status on the team. I didn’t want to be considered a low quality or 1-Star athlete.
You may experience this feeling.
However, you can fight it if you remember that you are a team player and keep your focus on what is best for your team. Get rid of self-centeredness. Take your attention off of yourself and direct it to your team’s needs. Make it less about you and more about your team.
How can your actions benefit your team?
What actions do you need to take to lead your team to success?
How will your team look as a result of your actions?
If you’re busy thinking, and executing, these kinds of thoughts, what others think about you won’t affect you as much. Also, your rewards – status, praise and acknowledgement – would come.
Therefore, I encourage you to overcome the fear of being embarrassed, to become the Go-To-Person, by focusing more on what you can contribute to elevate or promote your team.
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Browse my website 5starattitude.com for more information about how to become a super athlete.
About the Author: Geraline L. Handsome has developed a passion to help high school and college athletes of team sports discover their identity. She is a former Women’s Basketball Player for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). There she earned a B.S. degree in chemistry/mathematics. She has a MBA from the University of Phoenix. She is an Environmental Scientist and the mother of two. She is the author of the book Sins of One Woman’s Mind and was a Huffington Post Contributor.
Geraline L. Handsome has developed the Creating the Super Athlete Course (Audio/Video), a product designed to help parents and coaches help their athletes develop attitudes and character that will enable them to perform better in their sport, in the classroom, and in public.
