For as long as I can remember, I have been committed to a single goal: becoming a collegiate athlete. When I was younger, I was sure this goal would lead me to Division 1 gymnastics, competing for my school in a sparkly leotard with a pretty ribbon in my hair.
As time passed, my dream took on an entirely different form. The sparkly leotard was replaced by a track singlet paired with high jump spikes, the gym was replaced by a 400-meter track, and my identity transformed from a gymnast to a high jumper.
In the summer before my senior year of high school, I was recruited by the Springfield College track and field team, and committed three months later. Instead of celebrating the achievement of a lifelong goal, I felt an immediate burden of expectations and pressure.
As my freshman year started, I was miserable. My biggest fear was disappointing the people who believed in me the most. In my mind, anything less than perfection felt like failure. I fell into a hole of self-pity and doubt, a hole that I am constantly working to dig myself out of.
Unfortunately, this feeling of frustration and resentment is common throughout sports, leaving many athletes questioning their worth in the sport they love.
What do you do when there starts being more bad days than good, when the fire of passion you once had has been reduced to a single spark.
Having the opportunity to play sports, no matter what level, is a blessing that is too often overshadowed by struggle and hardship. I'm writing this letter to encourage you that things get better. It requires hard work and persistence, but things will get better.
Nothing great ever comes from your comfort zone.
When things get uncomfortable, our first instinct is to run away, to retreat back into our safe place and stay there forever. This safe place we love so much is called our comfort zone.
Don't get me wrong, it is a beautiful place but nothing of value can be found there. The boundaries of our comfort zones serve as boundaries for positive growth in life. Often times frustration in sport comes when you start to feel comfortable when complacency kicks in.
This stems from a fear of trying new things. Choosing courage over fear is not easy, but if something scares you, it's probably a good idea to give it a try.
Ultimately, fear is only opportunity masked in uncertainty. The only way to remove this uncertainty is to push the limits of your comfort zone and try the things that you are afraid of. Nothing in your life is going to change unless you are brave enough to change it. Once you choose courage over fear and push the boundaries of your comfort zone, growth will follow.
Never be afraid of failure.
"Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game"
While this quote comes from legendary athlete Babe Ruth, it is applicable far beyond the sport of baseball. Never let the fear of failure keep you from doing the sport you love. Athletes often look at a challenge and count themselves out before they even try. There is no better way to ensure failure than by thinking you are one.
Instead of looking at failure as a roadblock to success, think of it as an opportunity to grow. Failure allows you to begin again more intelligently. Everyone fails at something, it is how you use that failure to better yourself that matters. Stay positive and remember that failure should never be a reason not to give it your all.
Be the best you.
Sounds easy right? Just try your best. In actuality, trying your best is one of the hardest things you can do. It requires giving every ounce of yourself to the sport you love. You must focus on the little things that happen outside of the gym such as sleep, recovery, diet, and time management.
It is not easy, but it is worth it. If you focus on doing your best, the results will follow. Dissatisfaction in sports can often stem from focusing on uncontrollable factors such as winning. Redirect that energy inwards and remain focused on giving it your all. Perfection is unattainable, instead, you must strive to be the best version of yourself each and every day. When the goal is to do your best, you have full control of the outcome.
Trust your process.
When watching any sports movie it is likely that the iconic yet extraordinarily cheesy phrase "trust the process" will come up about one too many times.
While it is important to trust the process, I believe success lies in trusting YOUR process. Just as no two athletes are the same, no two journeys in any sport will be carbon copies. Everyone progresses at their own speed and learns at their own pace. When you feel stuck, think back to how far you have come and know the future will carry with it new growth and opportunity.
Your journey is for you and no one else. Judge your process by goals set by yourself for yourself, not by the expectations set by others. Find your joy in the journey.
Hard times never last, but tough people do. Never stop fighting for the things that bring light into your life. For me, that means trusting that my process will lead me to success and letting go of the unattainable goal of perfection. Take the time to find what works for you.
Everyone falls down, it is inevitable in both sport and life. All that matters is whether or not you choose to stand back up. Always remember, no feeling is permanent. You are in control of your own destiny.
Sincerely,
Chloe Dewhurst
