I read somewhere that we’re our own worst critics, and I couldn’t agree more. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve been hard on myself even if I made a minor mistake.
To the world, it may not be a big deal. But our brain has a funny way of magnifying even the smallest mistakes.
We obsess over our failures so much that we forget to count our successes. But the truth is, we’re not perfect. I’ve learned that it’s our failures that help pave the way for our successes.
Over the years, I’ve used various techniques and methods to face my fears. Here are a couple of things that have helped me:
I Remind Myself I’m Human
One of the reasons we expect so much from ourselves is because we always want to do better. But we forget that we’re human and as humans, we’re meant to make mistakes.
We forget that making mistakes is a normal part of life. If you don’t make mistakes, you won’t learn anything new.
For example, when I started running, I pushed myself to run an extra mile every time I trained. I ended up burning myself out and got leg cramps. Instead of continuing, I had no choice but to take a few days off, and learned that my body has limitations, and that I need to listen to it more. Resting, sports massages, and taking a break helped.
When I started running again, I would stop when I started feeling tired. Eventually, my body got used to the distance and I was able to complete the lap.
I Sit With My Fears for a Couple of Minutes
Fear is paralyzing. But something I’ve learned is that the only antidote to paralysis is understanding and reframing the fear. What’s the root cause? What’s holding you back?
Are you afraid of being judged by people? Are you afraid of not winning a race? One of my biggest fears was letting people down and not being able to win a medal for Ghana in the Olympics.
But I thought about it and asked myself, “What would happen if I don’t win a gold medal?” I realized that it was all in my head. I was expecting myself to be perfect.
So what if I don’t win a gold medal? It wouldn’t make me less of a champion. As long as I do my best and give it my all, that’s all that matters.
My journey hasn’t been easy. But I won’t give up or give in. I plan to win a medal in the Beijing Olympics 2022 for Ghana and Africa. If you want to learn more about me or who I am as an athlete, you can follow my journey here.