There's nothing better than being able to live. Yes, just that…L-I-V-E!
Living is natural. It's not something we typically wake up in the morning and consciously prepare to do. It's engrained in our soul. It's what makes us thrive and propels us forward in life. So, why should an athlete have to do anything more than just live in the moment when they are preparing for their sport?
The ability of an athlete to step into their arena and feel free to be 100% focused on competing in their sport is the catalyst which separates the elite from the dedicated. This is essential to an athlete's success—it cannot be secondary. The joy of feeling free to be oneself in all aspects of life is not something that can endure if there is an underlying stressor.
[blockquote]THE JOY OF FEELING FREE TO BE ONESELF IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN ENDURE IF THERE IS AN UNDERLYING STRESSOR.[/blockquote]
As an extremely happy GAY married man with a wonderful husband, I would never want to hide this, nor should I ever have to hide it! Sexual orientation should be completely transparent to my ability to step on stage to motivate and train a group of people.
While in the pocket at the start of a race, the only thing your mind should be preparing to run from is the competition—you will NEVER be able to outrun a battle with yourself. These peripheral issues do nothing but cloud your ability to cross the finish line.
[blockquote]You will NEVER be able to outrun a battle with yourself.[/blockquote]
Now, as a fanatical tennis player, the thought of being afraid to step onto the court because of who I love in my personal life or who I am off the court is completely foreign to me—and I want it to be unfamiliar to YOU!
So, how do you accomplish this, so that you can move forward in seizing your athletic potential?
Go stand in front of the mirror and tell yourself the following:
"I am ME. I am proud of who I am. I am dedicated to being the best that I can be in my personal life and I am focused on excelling in my craft. I understand and appreciate that this can only be done if I am at peace with who I am. From this day forward, I promise ME that I will accept my life as is, or accept the responsibility for changing it. I BELIEVE IN ME!"
Now, breathe…stretch…shake…let it go...and show the world exactly what YOU are capable of achieving!
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Shaun T is a proud Athlete Ally Ambassador and has taken the pledge to lead by example and welcome everyone into the sporting community. Thousands of athletes, coaches, fans and teams have already signed the pledge to affirm their commitment to uphold the core principle of respect in athletics.
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