Delay Gratification to Win

One of the biggest struggles that I’ve noticed with athletes has been the ability to delay gratification. It can be difficult for players to handle the ups and downs of the season. Many players oftentimes desire the outcome right now. The ability for athletes to handle failure and rejection without letting it discourage them is crucial to their development!

This all starts with formulating a vision of something to work towards. When they have that vision, the circumstances that they encounter throughout the season become just a part of the journey of reaching the destination that they desire. Without a vision, it becomes much more difficult to stay the course. But that vision should not be rooted in a desire to speed up the process! The vision that they have should require focusing on the present moment and not getting too caught up in their current adversity.

The vision is achieved one day at a time. It is through laying one brick at a time every day that eventually builds a masterpiece. Focusing on what they can control right now allows players to stay focused on the task at hand and perform to the best of their abilities. This means that they are able to put in the work and sacrifice short-term pleasures for the sake of achieving long-term visions. They might not be where they want to be now. But if their mindset is rooted in patience and love for the vision, they will win- maybe not in the timeline that they desire, but they will win.

Coach T