HOPE, BELIEVE, AND KNOW.

For a long time, I was thinking about the approach and key values I would like to share with all my players and people around me. I like to create keywords that help with guidance, motivation, and self-reflection. Today, I wanted to share with you 3 keywords that have become a solid foundation in my personal life. This foundation has helped me develop my vision and proceed with my personal goals; therefore, I share those values with all players and people I trust the most. We talk about this a lot, especially with all goalkeepers while pursuing our team goals for the season, and individual visions and goals.

Have you ever asked yourself what pushed you to work so hard? Why didn’t you stop as others? How have you ended up in the place you are currently in after overcoming many challenges? Let me guess, you had hope that what you are doing make sense, and you had hope that you are going to be the one. You didn’t stop because at some point you believed in yourself. Finally, after many challenges, you have established yourself and you know where you belong, and you know what values you can bring with you. The entire process could take a while, but you know what’s the most beautiful about this journey? If you have done it once, you will repeat it later when needed. So, let’s break down why and how we could use those terms in our daily life.

HOPE – where you have been. 

Let me ask you something… When you are facing a difficult 1v1 situation, shot from close range, or penalty kick – Don’t you have HOPE that you are going to make a big play? When you are trying to learn a new technique, new pattern, or perhaps you are learning something that will require lots of details, don’t you have HOPE that you will be able to make it? Because I always start by giving you my hope that you will make it, I want you to HOPE for the next challenge…

Hope is a very special word. In my definition of mental toughness, this is the beginning of all steps we need to persuade. If you don’t start by hoping for the best results, how do you want to progress and keep learning? How do you want to overcome all challenges and failures? Hope is something that helps you with getting through all difficulties… So, how do you find hope? This piece is a little more complicated, but it relates to trust. Trust your coaches, trust your closest ones, trust yourself. If you can trust yourself and others, that will help you to take a step back and find hope. At the end of the day, try to rewind all situations, games, and challenges you have been through. Do you believe you were lucky to get to the spot you are at? So… BELIEVE…

BELIEVE – where you are right now.

There is nothing worse than going to the games stressed and nervous (in negative terms). I have lost so many games, so many memories, just because of the negative thoughts in my head. I didn’t believe in myself. Working on the same game scenarios about 8 to 10 times a week, preparing just for one game, going over all possible scenarios and you still have doubts about yourself? Sounds familiar? To me, yes. 

The first step is understanding the fact that other people bet on you because they BELIEVE in you. They believe that what you are doing is right. Next, you need to accept the fact of what you are capable of. Even if some things are very challenging to you, you believe that the amount of work you put in to succeed in life and on the field will pay off. If you don’t believe it, why are you doing this? Why are you playing? Why are you studying? Why are you wasting yours’ and others' time? Listen – as soon as people don’t believe in you is as easy to notice as you don’t believe in yourself. Without believing in yourself and others, you won’t be able to make the next, probably biggest, step in your mental preparation. Do you know what you are aiming for?

KNOW – where you are going to be.

The most difficult and at the same time last step to mental toughness is to know your purpose, your vision, and values. This step requires tons of independent work, self-reflection, and self-confrontations. This piece requires tons of confidence which can be built only on the way with HOPE and BELIEVE; you can’t fake your values, you can’t fake your beliefs. When things get hard, all those fundamentals are revealed. The entire process takes time, it takes experience – the positive as well as the negative. That stage is also most of the time confronted by yourself and by other people. How many times close people to you, and your coaches have confronted you? Do you think they wanted to put you down, or did they want to challenge and push you to believe even further? Yet, sometimes it has different results as planned; therefore, there might be a purpose behind it. Maybe they see some weaknesses in you that must be improved towards your vision and purpose? Even when you are questioned, even when you are confronted, I thought you already know what it takes to achieve your goals, and sometimes coming back to hope is very important because it will open your eyes to more details, the belief stage will become stronger, and you will be able to create a stronger stage of KNOW.

For me, those 3 terms define your mental toughness. Can you come back to the first step when needed rather than having an emotional breakdown? Then, will you be able to believe in yourself and others quick enough, before the next game, the next challenge? Finally, just before walking out, do you know why you are here? 

Those 3 keywords develop the TRUST and CONFIDENCE, not only for you, but for all people around. You will be able to notice the difference. When you trust yourself and your journey, you will be able to see all challenges from a different perspective, and rather than losing your head to your weak voice (I can’t, it’s too late etc.), you will be able to control your emotions and strong voice will be able to help you with boosting your confidence (I got this, I know what I need to learn and improve on). There is nothing worse than having a weak voice all over your head, the key part is that even when something isn’t going as planned, drop to the HOPE stage, look at the picture of where you have been and how much you have been through already. Then realize that where you are right now; you are where you wanted to be, so BELIEVE that what you are doing makes sense, and then get back to your vision and KNOW your purpose and KNOW where you are going to be. Don’t be afraid to take a step back. Just understand that step back is to HOPE that you will be able to make it happen. 

I hope that those 3 keywords: HOPE, BELIEVE, AND KNOW will become your foundation for achieving your personal goals and building the vision of your excellence. On top of that, I believe that we, as coaches, have a mission to share those values with all people we work with and surround ourselves with. For some reason, it seems like many players don’t have the basic tools to create their ideas and path to succeed on and off the field. Yes, we need to challenge them, yes we need to confront them, but don’t we also need to help them? Give them hope, teach them how to believe, and build trust and confidence so they know their values? Let’s hear your thoughts. Are you using any keywords?

Thank you for your time. Please share this with other players.

MG