How much of an athlete’s success is dependent upon their attitude? How do you even measure attitude?
Author and educator, Charles Swindoll, states “The longer I live, the more I realise the impact of attitude on life… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”
Whatever number you want to attach to it, attitude is the overriding factor in long term success.
As a footballer:
– You may have a good base technique, but do you have the discipline and patience to practice for many hours and years on perfecting the skills to become great?
– You may have a good ‘football brain’ and tactical understanding, but do you have an open mindset to be taught and a humility to learn through all circumstances to become an intelligent, well-rounded footballer?
– You may have amazing, athletic potential but are you willing to be tough enough and disciplined enough to look after your body for it to become a ‘well-oiled machine’?
IFS offers the perfect environment to test, measure and develop our players’ attitudes. Deadlines, meditation, responsibility, self-talk, and accountability are a daily and hourly challenge for these players. Not only can we test them on the football field, but see them in our holistic environment of the classroom, cafe and playground. I am now seeing my role as a mentor rather than just a coach. As much as I love being with the lads on the football field, there’s so much for us to learn off it as well.
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