There’s a stigma for Christians growing up that “they must be perfect” in order to please God, their parents, and their teachers. Yet I think this stigma maximizes when they are also athletes. An athlete’s pressure to perform can be overwhelming, and the expectations that are placed on them (or even that they place on themselves) can be debilitating.
Pressure to Perform: Understanding Perspective
What to do when you’re feeling this pressure is different if you’re a young athlete or if you’re a parent/coach navigating how to help someone going through this. However, this fundamental truth remains the same: pressure is a form of adversity. The best parts of you are formed in times of adversity.
As a young person, it’s hard to see adversity as a good thing because you lack years of experience which limits your perspective. However, as an adult, it can be challenging, especially if you haven’t taken the time to look at the struggles in your past and view them as something good that helped form you into the amazing person you are.
“To gain perspective, you must be open-minded and curious.” -Taken from Chapter 17 on Perspective in our top-selling book: Hope Not Nope.
Be open-minded and curious, so you can gain this perspective on pressure and adversity. Gaining the perspective that pressure is an adversity that will help you become your best self is what will allow you to perform to your potential.
How To Shift Perspective
If you haven’t gained perspective that there is good in adversity, let’s turn to what Saint Paul tells the Romans…
“Adversity builds resilience, resilience builds proven character, and proven character builds hope. And Hope Does Not Disappoint.” – Romans 5:3-5
You see, pressure doesn’t always mean bad. And this may be a cliche, but it’s one worth reiterating: you can’t have a diamond without having pressure. If you’re experiencing pressure, shifting your perspective from “this is a bad thing” to “this is good because I’m building resilience, character, and hope” can be a game-changer for you.
The goal is to face pressure while keeping Saint Paul’s words in mind. This will help grow your character in a way that avoiding pressure, conflict, or adversity never could. The more you do this, the more it becomes a pattern to see pressure as a pathway to hope.
Perform By Being Formed
This perspective is transformational because it allows you to grow more into the person that God created you to be. Through pressure and adversity He is forming you! But you HAVE to turn to Him and keep this perspective in order for you to be formed. He is forming you so that you can enter the game (of life and of sport) and perform with confidence.
Truthfully, God is creating a domino effect: adversity to perspective to formation to confidence.
Here are a few tangible tips to help you grow in perspective, be formed, and build confidence:
- Place sticky notes in places you see often (bathroom, car, on the fridge). Write Romans 5:3-5 or a other key phrase that helps you. You could even change your phone background to have these phrases on it! The goal is to have reminders in places that you often see.
- Send this blog to a teammate, coach, athletes you work with, etc. Next time you face pressure, work together to be accountable in keeping this perspective.
- Build your confidence in God. Spend 5-10 minutes each day reading scripture, a devotional, or listen to a faith-filled message from a trusted Christian authority. The goal here is to be present to what God is speaking to you and how He wants you to grow each day.
Ready to max out your life’s potential?
The Hope Hub shares weekly insights that help go-getters become high performers: 📩 [Subscribe to our newsletter].
Author:
Faith-driven Fiery Beacon of Hope
