Most skaters who compete and train are doing so because they want to win. Whether its to win the Olympics, win a spot on a synchro team, or win their dream job, we all want to win. What separates the skaters who achieve their goals? Here are 3 ways you can be three steps closer to “winning.”
“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.”-Muhammad Ali
1. PRETEND YOU ARE THE BEST
When I was in high school, this quote was in our local newspaper and my father cut it out and gave it to me and he said that I needed that. Through the rest of my training I hung it on the back of my door and looked it every time before I went to the rink to train. When I finally won my dream job as a professional ice show skater, I took the little newspaper clip with me in my journal and read it every night. Even though I read the quote and it had special meaning to me since it came from my father, it wasn’t until my 3rd year in tour when I had the “ah ha” moment where I actually understood. Everyone in the world, skaters, athletes, musicians, political figures, everyone at some point suffers from impostor syndrome. “Impostor syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. Despite external evidence of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.”-Wikepedia Even though I was training and worked my butt off, I still didn’t feel like I was deserved to be at the level I was or in a position to have this job. There was always part of me that held back because I felt I didn’t deserve it. After some life changing events on tour, it finally hit me. “Screw it! Im here, and Im going to give it my all. Im going to pretend Im the best” Not only was I happier because as I was pretending to be confident, my confidence grew stronger, but it also opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me. I can’t stress enough-PRETEND TO BE THE BEST. Your presentation, confidence, and abilities will grow more than you ever thought possible.
“The only person who can pull me down is myself, and I’m not going to let myself pull me down anymore.”
― C. JoyBell C.
Believe in yourself, and the rest will fall into place. Have faith in your own abilities, work hard, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish.
–Brad Henry
“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
― Walt Disney Company
2. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
I listen to podcasts a ridiculous amount and most of the podcast I listen to interview successful entrepreneurs and athletes. During every single successful persons story they always devote their success to the fact that they believed in themselves and they never gave up because they new they could. The power of the mind is such a strong force that if we use it in positive ways, then positive things will happen. You can use the law of attraction to help believe in yourself. The law of attraction is a law that what you think and believe in is what you will attract. If you think positive thoughts, recite positive affirmations, and believe them to be true, the law of attraction states that those positive thoughts will manifest in your life. Believe in yourself that you can do it, and you can.
“Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.”
— Benjamin Franklin
3. BE STRONGER THAN YOUR CRITICS
If people are trying to bring you down and criticize you and your talent, be stronger than them and prove that you CAN do anything. As mentioned above in the quote by Benjamin Franklin, “any fool can criticize and most fools do” The people that are trying to bring you down are fools who are most likely jealous. Those are the people that try to get ahead by bringing others down. They take the “easy” and shallow way out because they don’t want to train and work hard in order to achieve their goals. If others try to bring you down, don’t let it get to you. Use it as motivation and strength to prove them wrong. Don’t let your critics win! Turn the negative ways into a fuel that will ignite your passion and motivation to work even harder for your goals that you aspire for. You can do anything so don’t be a afraid to PROVE IT.
Skating Inspirations 