It's BIGGER than YOU!
I’m sure that many of you are so relieved that you made it through your 2020 season! Many of you have made it out on the other side with a scholarship in your back pocket; but many of you are still in the hunt! Regardless of where you currently stand, I want you to know that the fight isn’t over! It doesn’t matter if you’re entering collegiate sports on a FULL SCHOLARSHIP, a PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIP or as a WALK-ON, you still have work to do! Receiving an opportunity doesn’t means you’ve arrived it just means you’ve been granted a platform for the next level. What you do with this platform depends on you. If you truly want to MASTER the NEXT LEVEL, you must first make the decision to take OWNERSHIP of your experience, by PREPARING YOUR MINDSET! You can be the biggest, the fastest, and the most athletic and still fumble the opportunity, if you don’t have the right MINDSET! When you don’t understand where your STRENGTH comes from and lack IMAGINATION you tend to undervalue the significance of your journey! If you don’t know where to start don’t worry, over the next couple of weeks the HIGHLIGHT “REAL” will walk you through the process! I truly believe that GOD created me for moments like this to help you keep your eyes on the true PRIZE! So, let’s put in THAT WORK!!!!
STEP 1: You must ACCEPT the fact that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be!
Making this transition can be challenging due to the newness of it all! There’s so much uncertainty when you don’t have a blueprint or a solid support system to go to for advice! For some of you this is the first MAJOR DECISION you’ve made for yourself! Some of you are the first in your family to go to college. Then there’s those of you who overcame and escaped all of the stereotype’s society tried to place on your life! You might be feeling disappointed because things didn’t pan out how you thought they would. Different circumstances may have put a damper on your plans, but I want you to know that switch ups and changes are normal. In fact, when GOD created you he wrote a LIT life story full of highs, lows, pivots and major plot twists with the intentions of you being VICTORIOUS! I know that this sounds cliché but it’s the truth. You will have fun times, challenging moments and, times when you have countless questions, but it’s all a part of the process. Please know that GOD can take any situation and flip it to work for your good! Your success isn’t a stroke of luck and it didn’t happen by CHANCE! It’s a MASTER PLAN designed by GOD! His DIVINE POWER and PLAN has lead you to this very moment.
ACTION ITEM: Gratitude is extremely important in this phase! Sometimes you must be reminded that difficult moments aren’t always fun, but they always provide opportunities for growth! Sometimes sitting down and visualizing where you use to be and what you learned from that moment can help you tap into your hidden WELL OF GRATITUDE!
Answer the following questions:
- What was your most difficult moment from this past year?
- How did you get through it? Did you have people that helped you?
- Is that moment still impacting you at the same intensity level it was in that moment?
- Did you grow from the situation? Did you learn any valuable life lessons?
- Are you currently using what you learned?
- Are you grateful for anything that came of that situation?
PRAYER: Lord almighty thank you so much for guiding my path! I appreciate this opportunity and I’m looking forward to this journey! I may not be completely happy with how everything panned out, but I trust you and I know that your plot twists are way better than my self-made script. Please give me the patience to stay anchored in you. Also please grant me the self-awareness to know when to pivot when needed. Help me to remember where you’ve brought me from and use the lessons learned. I know that if you did it before you’ll do it again so Lord show yourself great once again in my life. Thank you in advance. I pray it all of this in the might name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
GUIDING SCRIPTURE: Luke 12:48 (NLT) says, “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.”
STEP 2: You must EMBRACE the fact that although you didn’t sign up to be a ROLE MODEL, you will be considered one!
It’s truly a blessing to have an opportunity to step into being a student-athlete. Many athletes have dreamed of playing on this level, but only a select few get to experience it! A certain level of RESPONSIBILITY comes with your new title! The more exposure you receive the bigger your “PLATFORM” and “INFLUENCE” become. People are naturally going to admire you because of what you do! You may not have signed up for this attention, but it comes with the territory. I know that all of this unwanted attention can cause you to run away from the responsibility of being a ROLE MODEL. Many of you may not feel worthy of the title or qualified for the job, but that not true. No matter what level you’re on in life there will always be someone looking up to you. Your athletic ability is an add on, so please know that you’re important with or without that ability. You’re important to your city, you’re someone’s example and someone’s hero. Role Models allow others to know that opportunities exist and they’re DREAMS are possible! It just hits different when the person doing what you want to do looks like you. REPRESENTATION is so important!
ACTION ITEM: Context is extremely important in this phase! I want you to understand that being a role model has nothing to do with being PERFECT. In fact, it’s all about being UNIQUELY and UNAPOLOGETIALLY YOURSELF. You literally represent a generation of people! When they see you, they see themselves! Please don’t feel any pressure to put on for anyone, please activate “YOUR VOICE.” Your AUTHENTICITY is the MVP in this situation! Simply living your life grants your TRIBE the inspiration to continue fighting to discover their TRUE IDENTITY! Think about the IMPACT OF YOUR ACTIONS before you ACT! Your platform will inspire, inform, and empower others. Please don’t take this power lightly, be responsible with your INFLUENCE, and understand that it’s a GIFT!
Answer the following questions:
- Who was your first role model? (Example:// Favorite player, actor, coach, parent, best friend, etc.)
- What made you identify with them? How did it make you feel? Did it change your life?
- Did they INSPIRE you to do what you’re currently doing?
- Are you ready to embrace this ROLE? Why or why not?
PRAYER: GOD, please equip me with the confidence and humility to accept this gift. Teach me to be more like you, help me to hear your voice and directions clearly! Then give me the strength to obey your words promptly. Fill me with the fruits of the spirit and help me to display them. When I make mistakes help me to find the lesson in the failed attempt. Then please give me the courage to continue living in such a way that brings you honor. Lord let anyone who crosses my path see you and be inspired by the light you allow to radiate through my actions. Guide me and direct me Lord, thank you for this honor of being a role model. Give me the strength to embrace it fully so that I can do my part to further the kingdom. I pray it all in the might name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
GUIDING SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 4: 10 (NLT) says, “GOD has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”
STEP 3: You must understand that this situation is so much BIGGER THAN YOU!
Although you are the one putting in the effort, the sweat equity and the hard work, I want you to understand that this situation is so much bigger than you. Being in the position to further your education and experience so many new things is a part of a bigger plan. Every gift that GOD grants us is attached to purpose! Adopting a LEGACY MINDSET is so important in this phase! This simply means that you will take OWNERSHIP of your experience and look for VALUE to extract. Some cultures have been forced to start fifteen steps behind the starting line! All of this is due to oppression both physical and systematic! Not having access to quality information and resources has really set us back in a sense. This is why the most VALUABLE ASSET you can acquire on this journey is WISDOM! The mission is to retrieve as much FREE GAME through your experience, so that you can share the information! Sharing the gems from your experience and methods you’ve learned with others helps to further the culture! When I say “CULTURE” I don’t mean society I mean your heritage! Whenever you switch the narrative from “Me” to “We” you’re able to find strength to keep pushing! Activating EMPATHY for others helps you to discover your PURPOSE and gives your WHY more depth! This experience isn’t just for you it’s about LEGACY and becoming a GAME CHANGER!
ACTION ITEM: Being of SERVICE is going to be a MAJOR KEY in your development. Understanding the importance of sharing WISDOM with the generation coming behind you is so vital! In fact, helping others is going to teach you so much about yourself! When your attention is centered on yourself you miss opportunity to be IMPACTFUL.
Answer the following question:
- How do you want to use your VOICE?
- What does LEGACY MINDSET mean to you?
- How can you leave your institution with more VALUE than what you came with?
GUIDING SCRIPTURE: Matthew 25:40 (NLT) says, “And the King will say, “ I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters you were doing it to me!”
BLOG INSPIRATION:
I’m Gon’ Need My Shirt Back: Inspirational Workbook for Student Athletes (pg. 8-10). Refer to these pages if you need more information. Pick up a copy of this workbook for more concepts and techniques! Click the link to visit our shop: Shop | level27 (level27coaching.com)