Overconfidence, also known as hubris is as bigger problem as a lack of confidence. Thinking you know everything or that you’re already the finished article will stunt your growth as you won’t be challenging yourself to achieve more and better yourself.
If this is sounds like familiar then the chances are that you are living your life based on ego. I have known players that play small, that despite their obvious ability, they stay in the same team, in the same leagues because they want to keep winning against a lower standard of opponents, year after year, again and again.
How Winning Repeatedly for Years can be a Negative.
We’re not referencing a World Champion at the highest level of a sport here. A World Champion at the highest level will have very different obstacles to overcome. Such as staying motivated to exceed the high standards they’ve reached, to keep progressing and overcoming their latest challenger(s). The players we are talking about here, are the players that don’t play at their level because they are content beating all of the players on a level below them. Over a period of time this will eventually lead to a decline in this player’s abilities as he stagnates because he fails to challenge himself and grow. This hubris can also lead to shock losses where a lack of respect for other players will result in a shock defeat.
The Pool Comfort Zone
If you recognise the player above then you’ll realise that you’ve been in your comfort zone for years, and you’ve stopped improving your game, if anything your game is stagnent and deteriorating. Comfort zones are exactly what they say on the tin – “Comfort”. Comfort Zones are the safest, most comfortable place to be – they even sound all warm and fuzzy don’t they? 🤔
Progress starts at the edge of your comfort zone. Comfort zones are the most dangerous place because you’ll stagnate and get left behind whilst in a false sense of security.
This is the same principle as risk-taking. Your ego wants you to keep beating all of these players on the level below where you’re at because “winning makes me feel good” regardless of who it’s against. The fastest way to get better at anything is to challenge yourself! Beating players you have beaten over and over is your ego shying away from a challenge, your ego is scared of challenge in case you fail and make mistakes.
Winning makes you feel good on a much more euphoric scale when you know it’s against someone either at your level or on a higher level – that is an authentic sense of achievement.
“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with” –
Jim Rohn.
Have you ever noticed when you spend a lot of time with people that you start to use their sayings. You share private jokes and sometimes you even say the same things at exactly the same time?
That’s because you become similar to one another and start to share the same traits – the people you spend most of your time with have an impact on your behaviour. If you play small, on a lower level you’ll find it far more difficult to raise your game to a higher level. Have a think about the people you spend most of your time with…
Ask yourself, are my friends and acquaintances:
- Complainers?
- Those that stay the same?
- People that are lazy?
Or are they:
- Those that take responsibility and ownership?
- The people that challenge themselves?
- People that make things happen?
This post is to raise awareness and to give you the choice to improve and become better. If you want to level up this information will help you. 👍
Overconfidence is just an inflated ego. Everybody loses at some point, nobody is perfect – so leave your ego at the door because it doesn’t serve you. Even the “Undefeated” boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. lost fights in his Olympian days. Talking of egos.. 😂
Joking aside, it’s always important to get some perspective. A number of Sports stars are overconfident, arrogant and egoic in their interviews. They may well be doing so in the name of promotion. With the goal of substantially increasing the revenue for their matches/games etc. The more awareness and interest they gain, the more audience excitement, the bigger the hype. The bigger the hype the more publicity, which in turn leads to more exclusive sponsors. Consequently, this domino effect all ends in a larger the pot of money for those involved. Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather are very effective at this. Great examples of marketing their brands and their fights. Fighters may ridicule their opposition during this promotion build up. However, make no mistake that these men will be very respectful of every single one of their opponents behind closed doors.
Maybe you have someone in your team that is playing small and is capable of more. Playing below their own level week in, week out. Maybe you could send them the link to this post and help them see the value in raising their game, by giving themselves a new challenge that will help them to improve and progress? It’s rewarding helping others.
As Always, I hope this helps you to Raise Your Game!
THE POOL COACH🎱