I’ve been watching a RedbullTv doco show on the Mountain Bike Enduro World Series. It’s a pretty good insight into the racing, competitors and challenges.
Anyway the series narrator dramatically comes out with this one:
“Expectation, the internal belief that you’ll achieve something…..But despite our planning and preparation, things don’t always go our way, do they?……How’s the cliche go? Lower your expectations and you’ll never be disappointed. But if racing is your job, then lowering your expectations isn’t really an option is it?”
Now I know it’s there for dramatic effect, but this type of thinking in the last sentence, can be quite common in people aspiring to achieve. They often believe thinking like that is required, and anyone who doesn’t, isn’t serious, and is soft.
Problem is, it’s BULLSHIT. It’s wrong, and it’s sooooooo limiting.
It’ll probably get you 3/4 of the way but you’ll NEVER reveal your full potential with this thinking.
Let’s make the distinction between believing you CAN achieve/perform well/win/podium/pb, and expecting you WILL, because of child-like thoughts such as:
• I’m experienced
• I’ve trained hard
• I deserve it
• I’m committed
• It’s my time
• etc
The key is to be completely focused on your crystal clear intention, and be completely accepting of the result.
And your intention must be 100% within your control.
Everything else is just ego and noise. Expectations will handbrake you either before or after your performance.
BEFORE, they create anxiety/tension about the result, and an attention that’s distracted from being completely present in the moment (your highest potential).
AFTER, if you DON’T reach your expectations, you’ll feel a whole array of disappointment-based emotions, which slow your rate of learning, and if you DO reach them you’ll feel…….. relief. Yay, what a great payoff…..
So aspire yes. Have goals yes. Create precise intentions yes. And make them 100% within your control.
But let go of the idea of “expecting” anything in this way. Otherwise you may as well keep believing in the tooth fairy while you’re at it.
This is some of the stuff I do with people, athletes, and cyclists. Get in touch if you reckon there’s more in you that isn’t coming out how you want.
Scott.