“I must be doing something wrong!” you sigh while watching the television. A part of you wants to give up and your child doesn’t seem to listen. You want to go to bed but the thought of your child quitting continues to haunt you.
There you are, scratching your head, hoping for the answer to magically appear, but it never does. Somewhere inside your child is the answer that you’ll need to figure out.
Some people might frown and label you “pushy” or too demanding. Your child is already doing well but lacks the discipline and motivation to take it to the next level. Several parents have given glowing feedback and definitely see potential. But you shrug this off and consider the word “potential” to simply mean, “Haven’t made it yet”.
Discipline= Resistance+1
A couple of days ago, I came across a show that involved troublesome teens given new parents, a parent swap if you like. The initial days went according to plan with the teens running the show with foul language, alcohol and a lack of respect. The Americans that took on these Aussies certainly had their hands full, at times, struggling to come to grips with their behavior and their resistance to work. But to their credit, they persisted and matched the teen’s resistance with resistance+1.
Cut a long story short.
The new parents didn’t back down and continued to apply discipline when required. They introduced routine, responsibility and accountability. The teens had several melt downs to start with and certainly missed the freedom that they had once taken for granted. But with time, discipline, respect and love the teens evolved into caring little adults. Adults that started to miss their families and started to care for their new foster family. What they once took for granted and loathed now became the missing piece to the puzzle.
You sigh again and get off the couch and make your way to bed.
Soccer just like any other sport has the dreaded plateau. I like to refer to it as “Death Valley”.
Anyone Can play the Game, right?
If you train hard and discipline yourself you may even taste success. But at some point during your career, the development and gains start to diminish and you become stale. This my friends is Death Valley where thousands if not millions get lost each year. They give up before they get to harvest what they had sowed for so many years. They give up just before the finish line.
As you lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, you remember the mad dash to the hospital and the first time they placed your son in your hands. As the tear hits your pillow you decide that what ever your child wants, you will PROVIDE. If he wants support, you offer support+1. If he wants more training, you offer training +1. If he wants to try something new, you offer new+1.
You can hear something odd in the background. The alarm clock interrupts your sleep and you gather your thoughts. As you sit on the edge of your bed you remember Love Based Soccer.
It’s not a coincidence and it’s definitely not the matrix.
Could the missing piece to the puzzle be Love Based Soccer+1?
“May the winds of destiny blow you to the stars.”
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