Bloom where you are planted. What does this expression mean to you? To me it means that no matter where you are in life, no matter what situation you are faced with, you should always strive to do the best you can do and be the best you can be. You will never move out of a bad situation if you only complain about it. Showing your frustration, moping, complaining and feeling sorry for yourself will just keep you where you are. You must put forth the effort to really thrive where you are and that effort is what will propel you into a much better place.
Although this phrase is Biblical in it's origins (1 Corinthians 7:17-24), the lesson it teaches can be applied universally to anything we do. Can it be applied to athletes? Absolutely! For an athlete to be successful, he or she needs to always be striving to be the best that he or she can be.
Are athletes always happy about the role they are placed in on a team? Are athletes always happy about how their coaches see them or treat them? The obvious answer to both of these questions is no. How to change that situation is not so obvious. Most athletes choose to develop a bad attitude, or hold back on their effort to show their dissatisfaction. In turn, most coaches continue to keep those athletes in the same situation or even demote them.
The successful athletes, the athletes with mental toughness, take a different approach. They do not accept their situation as their final lot. They maintain a positive attitude. They work as hard as they can. They work hard out of pride. They work hard out of respect for themselves, respect for their teammates and respect for the game that they are playing. They put in all of the effort required to maximize their situation and move on to a better place.
By taking the latter approach, the athlete will not only improve his situation and make progress towards all of his goals, but he will also build a strong work ethic and enjoy improved self-confidence.
As we enter 2011, we should all try to Bloom Where We Are Planted.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment