Sports Performance and Resilience
Being told “No” is not a new thing for human beings. In our formative and adolescent years we are frequently told things to the effect of “No, you cannot stay up and watch T.V” and “No, you may not stay out that late”.
Psychologists may argue “No” is one of the most powerful and potentially damaging words in the English dictionary, but why are we so afraid of that word? After all, setbacks and refusals are a natural part of progression and self-improvement, so how do we best turn these setbacks into positive results?
After playing soccer at a fairly high level in England as a youth I decided to try my hand (or fists!) at boxing. The reason for this change was that performing really well individually and then reaping no reward collectively as a team was disheartening to me, this became no longer rewarding and so resulted in the switch to an individual sport. Why? Because I wanted my personal performance to be a direct indicator of the result.
I was instantly drawn to boxing, as soon as I stepped into the gym my senses were utterly captivated. The musty stale smell of the gym (a rented space above the “India House” pub), the sound of worn gloves pounding against old gaffa-tape repaired punch bags held up by industrial chains wrapped around wooden beams, the skillful mastery of coach, Malcolm, putting a boxer through complex padwork drills and the thick-set silhouette of veteran head-coach and navy veteran Tony Thomas, or “Tone” as he was known to everyone, barking orders as he stood at the corner of the ring supported by his walking cane – I was completely hooked on the “sweet-science”.
During my boxing career there were a lot of set-backs to contend with from poor judging decisions, bad performances, injury and ill-preparation. So how did I cope?
Reflective Practice – I made sure every experience, be it positive or negative, was a platform for learning. By reflecting on my experiences, adjusting and then adapting with the focus of changing negative outcomes I improved my future performances – as a result my skill level improved as did my fitness, I grew in confidence and I became more resilient to set backs.
So what does this all mean?…
These principles are not exclusive to sporting performance. If you don’t already, try incorporating them into your professional life – in looking for a new role, in managing your career and in your life in general. Everybody gets knocked down at some point, those that are successful don’t stay down they get up to fight another day. Knock downs are part of life, so embrace these as learning opportunities and good luck.
Written by Matt Minchin
