At my daughter’s recent soccer tournament, they played a team from the same town. The team is in A flight.   Before the match, most of the players were talking about losing to the A team.   I heard them talking about it and I couldn’t help but inquire why they think that way.   I mentioned to them that if we truly believe we will lose, then we might as well stay home and not drive after a snow storm, because it is not worth it to take the risk driving after a nor’easter.    I told them that they need to prepare and be ready to play hard no matter what the situation.

As I walked back to my seat, I thought of Napoleon Hill’s quote that defeat is only a reality when we acknowledge it. Our acceptance of the defeat is what will seal the deal for us.   Our mind it the most important organ in our body; it is the central command center that dictates how we behave and go about doing things. When it gives a command to shut down, defeat is just a matter of time.   Going back to the game, our team lost to the A flight team 4-0, but they played keep-away after leading by 4.   I think how our players thought led to the harsh outcome. But, nonetheless, it is a good experience for them to match up against teams that are better trained than they are.

After lunch, my wife and I had to remind our youngest daughter that she needed to finish her book report. She had been working on this on and off for a week.   She was taking her sweet time and often left things to the last minute, which makes it very stressful for everyone.   This time around I reminded that her effort is directly correlated to the grade that she will receive. In addition, if she does not try her best there is really no point paying for a private education when the public school system is adequate.   Nonetheless, I’m not sure what we missed. The struggle continued and by 9 p.m. she was still not done.   I had a long talk with her and her sister about trying her best at all times.   What does it mean to do your best? I emphasize that it does not mean getting an “A”, but rather it means that you did all you could and will be proud to have your name associated with the work you produced.

My point for this post is that if you don’t believe in yourself and acknowledge defeat before you even start something, there is really no chance to make any progress.   Furthermore when you don’t plan and just leave everything to chance, it is difficult to expect a good result.   Nothing beats preparation, as it put you on the right path to make things happen.   It also allows you to adjust your plan accordingly.   The next time you feel like you’re not confident about a situation. ask yourself the question: Are you not capable to make it happen because you don’t believe in yourself? Or, it is just a perception that you can’t get it done. If it is the later, pause and takes a deep breath and give yourself a chance and proceed. Giving it a try is better than not trying at all.