The
Sports Psychology Blog
Today's Sports Psychology blog comes after Zimbabwe's inspirational victory over Australia in the Twenty-20 World Cup
Cricket: Zimbabwe - Staring Down The Beast
'We
believed in ourselves. It was so exciting'. The words of Zimbabwe
coach Robin Brown after their shock win over Australia. Sure the Australians
may have been a little rusty and underprepared, but that should not
take away from the Zimbabwean achievement.
This is a side that has been on the receiving end of defeat after defeat; losing has become a habit. Last night they started down the beast. The beast that is fear. Fear of failure. And fear of success.They stared down and stood up to it. This is no easy thing.
Many top sports professionals will allow fear of failure or fear of success to dominate them. Limit their ability to take the top prizes. It takes decisiveness and courage to stare down the beast. You can draw on the pain of past failure. Use the pain to remind you of what you don't want to experience again. And know that this is the moment to begin to rewrite your personal and collective history. And you cannot avoid the moment. It's the time to stand up and be counted.
Remember - when you stare down the beast, the beast will shrink in size. Why? Because it no longer has your fear to sustain it! Fear is the force which feeds the fear.
Which is worse - the fear or the failure? Most will say the fear. Last night, Zimbabwe felt the fear and did it anyway!
