Find a Success Story in Order to Become One.

The limiting belief that you “can’t do something” halts an athlete's progress no matter what age, sport, or skill level. With that being said, it’s critical to develop strategies for how to overcome those limiting beliefs. 

One strategy that helped me combat the feeling that I “can’t” achieve something is finding success stories of individuals who have overcome similar obstacles in their lives. 

This was very applicable in my life because throughout my sports journey I was always one of the shortest players on the field, the court, or the track. When I was a freshman in high school, I wasn’t even 5-feet tall. Fortunately, I had coaches and mentors that valued and emphasized my skill over my height, but even still, doubt would inevitably creep into my head. While encouragement from family and coaches certainly helped comfort me, it didn’t always help inspire me. This is where finding success stories can fill in that gap. 

I found that watching documentaries, reading about sports history, and simply seeing live sports helped me find professional athletes who overcame similar odds. Personally, I was inspired by Spud Webb, a former NBA player who is the shortest to ever win the NBA Dunk Contest. Webb was only 5 '7, a height in which most would consider too short to even think of playing basketball at a high level, let alone participate in a dunk contest. Despite not being a basketball player myself, Spud Webb’s story inspired me to never use my height as an excuse, but rather to use it as a part of my own story. 

Being a soccer player for most of my life, I also took inspiration from Barcelona’s soccer team, specifically legendary players like Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta. While Messi has become a household name, Xavi and Iniesta were his teammates and were dominant in their own right. 

Despite being under 5-feet tall, I entered high school with the goal of being selected for the Varsity soccer team. Like Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta, I was not the fastest, the strongest, the tallest, nor the most athletic. However, what made those three players stand out was their abilities on the ball, their creativity, and their game IQ. I would watch the Barcelona games every weekend (and I still do) to get inspired to translate the skills and habits that made them successful, to my own game. Being inspired by Iniesta and Xavi specifically, and watching them closely in games helped me achieve my goal of making the Varsity team as a 4 foot 11 inch tall freshman. I even worked my way on to the starting lineup for the last half of our season incorporating the same skills that made those Barcelona players stand out amongst their taller peers. 

So, if you are a player and you find yourself using the narrative that you “cannot” do something, I recommend searching for success stories of athletes who were in your shoes, overcame the same obstacles, and faced the same failures. 

Maybe you don’t have the same economic resources as your teammates or opponents. Well, there are plenty of successful athletes who overcame seemingly insurmountable economic challenges. Maybe you struggle with asthma and feel you can’t run fast, so you’ll never be good enough. Take inspiration from Jackie Joyner-Kersee who had asthma, and went on to win 6 gold-medals in track. 

If you are struggling with a limiting belief, it’s normal. Success stories from real people who struggled with the same real problems help us break free from the shackles of limiting mindsets. 

If you want to reach your new level, find a success story that inspires you, and then go work hard to become one!