I would confidently wager that most of us can relate to, and furthermore, agree, with the notion that the mind is a powerful thing. I believe mental strength is just as pivotal as physical strength in certain situations, and, unfortunately, sometimes our minds like to manipulate us into believing we cannot do something.
I’ve been struggling as of late with my confidence when it comes to playing rugby. Ten years ago, when I was at my peak in terms of athleticism and skills, I was a menace on the field. I rarely doubted myself, and my confidence was reflected in my playing.
I stopped playing the game for ten years for a variety of reasons, and now that I’m back playing again, this time with a very different body compared to ten years ago thanks to Lyme disease, I’m getting very frustrated with how often I doubt myself.
The thing I struggle the most with in regards to confidence with rugby is my catching. I’ve always played in a forward position, and I was recently told by my coach that there is a strong probability I will be playing a back position this season. Both forwards and backs run the ball, but backs tend to be responsible for making more difficult passes, especially if you’re playing in the wing position.
I had a chat with my coach about how much I’m struggling to believe in myself and my skills with catching, and I admitted to her that I doubt myself tremendously at times when it comes to specific plays. She quite literally looked me in the eyes and told me that I am capable, and that she believes I am, therefore I need to trust in her, and myself, that I can make tricky passes.
It’s a simple lesson, but the ideology of mind over matter has a significant impact on how we conduct ourselves. We just have to trust and believe.
Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash
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