Fallen Sandcastles

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”

- Shakespear

I can still feel the anger in my bones from those days at the beach… It has probably been 15 years since I’ve made a sand castle, and I cannot forget the absolute resentment felt towards the tide as it began to wipe out our hard work.

This future reality was unavoidable, and if an analysis was done on the blank canvas of the beach, I would have realized this fate lied ahead for any effort I made as well.

Looking back in contrast… This is a similar future for any athlete whose confidence is simply built on past results, or their ‘identity’ is results. It is just a matter of time until ‘critics,’ or circumstance roll through and crush any sign of what was there.

How do we defend against this?

Because I built a very deep trench in front of my sand castle and it was still destroyed.

You can start with the equation self-confidence = self-trust.

Growing up, as a player my confidence was always based on my last performance. If it was insignificant, I felt insignificant, and I am sure if someone said that to me, that would have been my identity. It was in High School when everything changed.

My identity began to be built on WORK. Moments that were not seen. Contracts that I held with myself that nobody knew about, this was for me, and firming my foundation. To weather the storms I knew I’d need a foundation and a roof. The construction began with creating WHO I wanted to be, and how I’d make this a fact in my SOUL.

It began as: “I am a hard worker.”

Could I say this in the mirror, with my eyes three inches from the mirror, staring myself down without putting in extra hours?

NO!

My mind and soul would have called BS on that statement in an instant. Who cares about the critics or ‘tide” my own conscience would have taken that ‘sand castle’ down.

Who do you want to be?

How does this become fact?

I genuinely believe I am a kind person, and there's nothing someone could say to change my opinion of this because of my intentional acts of charity daily.

I empower you to defend against critics and doubts! Begin with clarity on your ideanty, then build the burden of proof as to why this is who you are, regardless of what anyone says.

As an athlete, this will be a difference maker.

Keep going - keep growing.

Live on Purpose,

Henry Schertzinger