My kids are sporty, very sporty! If you know me in real life, that probably surprises you. And I hear you! I am on a steep learning curve, and following their lead.
That said, they are also a little sensitive – beautiful, but tough. Things players, competitors, and coaches say were getting into their head, and mistakes on the pitch were having a negative impact long after the event. We needed some tools to stay in the game. And here is what we came up with:
Shield up, recover fast, get the next one.
It’s our pre-match mantra.
Shield up: the shield deflects those words from taunts or criticism. They are still heard, but they do not penetrate the shield.
Recover fast: mistakes happen, they should do. That’s where the best learning is. They cannot linger, and become a stick to beat us with. We need to learn and move on fast. The quicker we recover, the more ready we are for what comes next.
Get the next one: the next opportunity will come, we need to be ready. Use the learning to fuel the next chance, and nail it this time. You’ve got this.
Too often we let the words of others, the self-criticism, or the mistake push us out of the moment and send us spiralling in our heads. That affects our performance. We need the tools to stay present, filter out the unhelpful talk, learn from the mistakes and be ready because the next chance is always coming.
In sport, in business, in life.
Shield up. Recover fast. Get the next one.
Are you ready?