Forever Changing Goalposts

On Monday 22 February the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnston, unveiled the UK’s latest road map to lead the UK out of lockdown into the new ‘normal’ of existing with Covid. 12 April being the date set to resume all sport for those under 18 years old.

Lockdowns in the UK have been happening on and off since March 2020: that is almost a year for many. That is a year of uncertainty; of hopes being dashed time and time again – not least of those from athletes no longer able to train in their respective sports.

As athletes we are taught to repeat; repeat; repeat; repeat; repeat and keep on repeating skills. Coaches continue to build sporting machines with muscle memory built from repetition: transforming young athletes who have to think into adults who can just do …

I would argue that this is often a detrimental, lack lustre ideal and a finite method to training. Yes it is key that our athletes learn the skills to keep bettering their performance, but doing the same thing over and over and under the same conditions is not providing the athlete with the mental strength they need to succeed either in their sport or life in general. Instead it limits and stagnates their capacity to strive for more.

It is not without surprise that Ant Middleton’s (ex-Special Forces) book: First Man In made it to No1 on the Sunday Times bestseller list, as people sought help in their struggle to cope with a world that had for many seemed like it had fallen apart. The world had not fallen apart: the conditions under which many lived and trained certainly had. The vast majority failed to understand how to improvise; adapt and overcome and instead tried to mould their repeat; repeat; repeat way of doing things and lacked the mindset to be able to step out of their comfort zone and think freely outside of the box.

The ability to cope and deliver high performance under extreme pressure is not learned solely by repeating skills. It learnt by challenging those skills and growing the character needed to perform at a high level under any condition. We need our goalposts to change when we train. We need an environment that stimulates and mentally taxes us.

When the occasion next presents itself rather than blame or simply give up on a difficult situation embrace and salute this opportunity to learn how to react with assurance. Become the athlete that is always in charge of how you perform and not yield to the obstacles in life, which will always be a series of forever changing goalposts.