You Can Choose Your Ability Level

I am going to say something that at first might be a little hard to believe. For some of you it’s going to be even harder to swallow and it might even cause you to become a little angry. But I ask you to at least consider the idea for a moment. Before you right this blog off as crazy take a second to contemplate the possibility that I might be right. Are you ready? Here it is...

Whatever ability level you are currently performing at, whatever situation you might currently be in (starting, not starting, whatever), whatever tools you currently possess, you have chosen them. WHAT! That’s right if you are not currently performing at the level you wish, If you don’t possess the tools necessary to play you have chosen these things for yourself.

I know, I know, I can hear your arguments now. “Why would I choose to have a weak arm?” “Why would I choose for my coach not to give me an opportunity?” “What can I possibly do about my lack of tools I was born this way, I can’t control what genes I was given?”

Believe me, I understand where you’re coming from. For most of my life, most of my playing career I bought into these ideas. I bought into the fact that I was getting screwed, that my coaches just weren’t giving me an opportunity. I bought into the idea that I was small and had a weak arm and that I had to be the guy who “Got the most out of what he was given.” What I didn’t realize at the time was that I could choose for more. I didn’t realize that subconsciously I was accepting what other people were telling me. I was limiting what I was able to accomplish by mentally accepting the limitations others were placing on me.

So what can you do? Choose something more. Decide what skills you wish to possess and then go to work at developing those skills. The important thing is that you must remain open minded to the possibility that you can reach the levels of performance you desire to reach. Don’t judge yourself, don’t allow the judgements of others to limit you. Understand that you are headed in the direction toward the attainment of those skills and keep going that direction until you get there. When you start to judge and label yourself as not having the skills you need then without realizing it you are limiting your ability to reach those levels of performance. Visualize yourself as having the skills you desire to have, work as though it were guaranteed that you will develop these skills, and then allow these skills to develop in their own time. Visualize yourself starting on your team and then without any bitterness, anger, or expectation go out to practice each day and look to improve. Allow yourself to become the starter at the right time. Stay positive, stay focused on what you intend to create for your career, and then allow these things to develop when the time is right.