WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WIN?
Wanting to reach the top is not enough. Getting the best equipment, resources and funding can help, but it can also hinder. There is no magic sauce to explain why some athletes stand out from others. Evidence suggests that potential only becomes properly apparent in the late teenage years. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but whole systems should not be built on the fact that Tom, Tiger or Venus shone at an early age. The reality is very different though. Regardless of me saying that 'performance development' and 'elite' programmes should not exist for pre-pubescent or adolescent children because they sell false dreams, they are unlikely to disappear. We do know that those who reach the very top tend to be focused on process (executing tasks perfectly) and that they are outcome orientated (they want to win and/or fear losing). Most ‘need’ to succeed although levels of self-belief are not so consistent. Doubt, fear and unhelpful emotions are rarely on show but most successful athletes experience them too.
In the best athletes I’ve known, the need to excel is nearly always present and perceived failures are taken badly. They’ll probably pick up new skills very quickly and push on when others may quit. Some are amazing at filling in training diaries, reading every bit of information provided and ask questions as if they were presenting University Challenge. Others just want to work hard and be told what to do, without worrying too much about what others think.
If you’ve got aspirations to reach the top in sport or are close to getting there, the chances are that you’re pretty good at what you do already. But do you have a fire burning inside you to allow you to succeed? Your progress towards world domination involves complex interactions between body, mind and social/environmental factors which all fuel this fire. These interactions can be described as biopsychosocial:
- Bio: pertains to your physiological makeup and genetic potential
- Psycho(logical): pertains to your thoughts, emotions, behaviours and your ability to adapt to the challenges life throws at you.
- Social: pertains to your interactions with the rest of the world, including your family circumstances, how much money you have, education, the coaches, and sports systems you interact with.
You will have your own unique biopsychosocial makeup, strengths in some areas and limitations in others. There are some things that you can control and others you can’t. It is complicated by the fact that some factors that are helpful for some are a hindrance to others. For example, on a recent trip to Kenya, I met a group of athletes who were training on a dirt field with goats, most lived in corrugated iron shacks, they had no federation or sports science support and a limited diet with no gels or sport nutrition to fuel them. These things helped because they drove their desire to win, not necessarily because they loved running, but because their whole future depended on it. None were international athletes, but most would have been selected for an international vest anywhere else in the world. In contrast, in the UK there is a clear link between high socio-economic status and medals won. The more money you have, the better the opportunities in sport you will have. These examples tell us that your destiny is not wholly in your own hands. Rather, parents, coaches, governing bodies, and the resources you have available can fuel your fire or completely extinguish it.
More support or greater resources are probably not the deciding factors in your success. The fact that someone has received better support or has been selected ahead of you for a team will not ultimately determine your chances in sport. If you or those close to you believe it will, then this belief will limit your chance of success. Rather, I urge you to recognise the following laws:
1. Life is not fair
2. Shit happens
3. The goalposts change
These rules are fundamental to dealing with the world of high-performance sport. People are not always nice, they may not treat you with respect or equity. You may perceive that someone appraises your performance unfairly in which their perception of your ability is different to your own. Prove them wrong! Do so through your performances and through finding solutions without their help if need be.
Of course, those in power should be held accountable for decisions. Ask them what they would have wanted you to do differently and to justify why you were not selected for progression. When places are limited, they may give others who they are more familiar with the benefit of the doubt when performance levels are comparable. In some cases, it may be that your face simply doesn’t fit. They could perceive you or those close to you as awkward or not team players. Team or squad dynamic is sometimes ‘talked about’ although usually informally. But more often than not, you’ll rarely be overlooked if you’re good enough despite what your friends and family say to you. They are biased because they love you. Usually, there are appeal processes which will give you an opportunity to present your case if you feel you have been treated unfairly. In my experience, most cases come down to poor communication in explaining decisions and the fact that there is doubt about ability. When people have told me “you’re not good enough”, my internal response is “f**k you, I’ll show you”. Of course, it is not without precedent that some selection panels are biased and may not do their job properly. This is not fair and can leave you angry. If you have explored your internal biases, asked for explanations and been left with unsatisfactory responses, then you may then wish to ‘make a noise’. But this shouldn't be an emotional choice but one based on evidence of why you are good enough. The fact that you've had bad luck in the season relates to Law 1 and Law 2.
Dealing with such a complex environment is particularly hard for parents who will often support you through it. Most parents are not experts in sport, even if they were good at it. Pushing you too hard or not hard enough; wanting to be involved or not wanting to rule your life; putting trust in coaches & coaching programmes versus being an interested & concerned parent who asks difficult questions.... these are all dilemmas that they will face. They will sometimes get the balance wrong. Remember the best equipment, support-services and fancy facilities are nice, but they can drive complacency too. You and your parents must recognise that whilst you are important, you are not special (or probably not quite yet). If you get support from others, it should be viewed as a privilege, not a right. My friends in Kenya don't feel entitled to anything and neither should you.
Ultimately, if you are to continue to progress means finding an environment that works for, supports and motivates you. A positive training environment, high-quality coaching, good training partners and the ability to push your limits of what is possible are way more important. However, if your sport is an Olympic one, then choices are often limited. You may not get to choose your coach, where and how you train. Law 1: “Life is Not Fair” applies in this instance. However, it is my belief that a high-performance environment should be able to differentiate for and accommodate your needs when you have the pre-requisite potential. The implications are not ideal when you don’t fit, you like to 'challenge' and where the system’s model does not work for you. The reality is that many programmes are built on systemically flawed principles and may simply have employed people lacking prerequisite knowledge and skills to act in a way that works for you. This is very common. So what should you do in such cases? There are no simple solutions for changing these systems for you apart from continuing to win. Reading the next section will help you appraise the system you are in and if what you are experiencing is right for you.