- I recently wrote a letter to a young aspiring sports star who had asked me about how I came to play professional sport and if I had any advice for him. After writing my reply I felt that it might be worth tweaking a few things for anonymity but still sharing the bulk principals in an open forum.
However, it is important to know that just because a player is good at his/her game doesn't mean they will always make it to the top level. I know many blokes who were great rugby league players - better than some who play in the NRL - but just didn't get a chance to prove it. Remember that playing sport professionally is not your given right just because you're good at it. You should, instead, always consider it to be a privilege.
That's enough of the somewhat negative talk, I just think it's important to remember that!
If you really want to be successful, it takes a lot of these three things... Commitment - Motivation - Belief.
Of course, skill and ability are important too but you can learn everything you need in that respect with practice, practice, practice.
To be committed and motivated is a CHOICE that you need to make every day. It doesn't just happen. Yes, some days you won't want to do what you know you need to do. But always remember where you want to be in life and what it is you want to achieve.
The thing with goal setting, in this case professional sport, is that to get to where you want to be you need to know how to get there.
So you know your long term goal, but what are your short term goals?
I used to use posters or photos as a visual reminder of where I wanted to be one day. I still do this now, only today the place I want to be has changed. The method still works though. It's important that once you reach your goals you always replace them with new ones. This is how a champion thinks, he/she is always looking to improve and better themselves.
You need to know that goals are great but just because you set them doesn't mean you'll always achieve them. You have to learn to adapt.
All my goals as a junior footballer came true. Then I moved to Canberra in 2002 and struggled for a long time. My goal was to play first grade for the Canberra Raiders. I didn't ever achieve that goal. In fact I didn't play first grade until 2011 and by then it was for a different team. That's a long time of asking myself am I going to do this? Will I play in the NRL? To be honest with you often I would say to myself, no I won't - which is not a nice feeling!
The single most important thing to remember is this... Every time I asked myself CAN I do this? Do I believe I have the ability to do this? The answer was always, always YES!
You need to believe you can or you never will.
I'll leave you with this. If you believe you can achieve your dream of playing professional sport, don't ever let anyone tell you you can't. If you try out for one team/event and they knock you back, try another one. If you've tried them all, try them again. Don't give up until they tell you to not come back. You can then rest knowing you did everything you could to succeed.
That is exactly how a champion thinks.
Good luck my young friend. Wishing you the very best in achieving your goal!
For any young champion who may be interested...
It's great that you are thinking of competing professionally in your sport. I have been very lucky to play a sport for a living and I remind myself that every day. If you do achieve your dream, you will find there is so much more to this lifestyle than just competing in your sport. I have been given a fantastic opportunity away from the rugby league field to network and be involved in the community and my chosen charities, that I might not have had without the support base which comes with the professional sporting environment.
However, it is important to know that just because a player is good at his/her game doesn't mean they will always make it to the top level. I know many blokes who were great rugby league players - better than some who play in the NRL - but just didn't get a chance to prove it. Remember that playing sport professionally is not your given right just because you're good at it. You should, instead, always consider it to be a privilege.
That's enough of the somewhat negative talk, I just think it's important to remember that!
For the moment, let's say and act like you are going to succeed. Confidence is a very powerful tool if you use it right! You have to think like a champion if you're ever going to be one.
If you really want to be successful, it takes a lot of these three things... Commitment - Motivation - Belief.
Of course, skill and ability are important too but you can learn everything you need in that respect with practice, practice, practice.
To be committed and motivated is a CHOICE that you need to make every day. It doesn't just happen. Yes, some days you won't want to do what you know you need to do. But always remember where you want to be in life and what it is you want to achieve.
The thing with goal setting, in this case professional sport, is that to get to where you want to be you need to know how to get there.
So you know your long term goal, but what are your short term goals?
I remember my first ever goal was to make the North Adelaide rep team. We would play the South Adelaide team and the best of those players would be selected to represent South Australia in the national schoolboy competition.
I used to use posters or photos as a visual reminder of where I wanted to be one day. I still do this now, only today the place I want to be has changed. The method still works though. It's important that once you reach your goals you always replace them with new ones. This is how a champion thinks, he/she is always looking to improve and better themselves.
You need to know that goals are great but just because you set them doesn't mean you'll always achieve them. You have to learn to adapt.
All my goals as a junior footballer came true. Then I moved to Canberra in 2002 and struggled for a long time. My goal was to play first grade for the Canberra Raiders. I didn't ever achieve that goal. In fact I didn't play first grade until 2011 and by then it was for a different team. That's a long time of asking myself am I going to do this? Will I play in the NRL? To be honest with you often I would say to myself, no I won't - which is not a nice feeling!
The single most important thing to remember is this... Every time I asked myself CAN I do this? Do I believe I have the ability to do this? The answer was always, always YES!
You need to believe you can or you never will.
I'll leave you with this. If you believe you can achieve your dream of playing professional sport, don't ever let anyone tell you you can't. If you try out for one team/event and they knock you back, try another one. If you've tried them all, try them again. Don't give up until they tell you to not come back. You can then rest knowing you did everything you could to succeed.
That is exactly how a champion thinks.
Good luck my young friend. Wishing you the very best in achieving your goal!
- Brenton Lawrence
