Parents of Athletes Must Choose The ‘Red Pill’ or the ‘Blue Pill’
I love the red pill vs. blue pill metaphor from the movie Matrix. Take the red pill and face the harsh realities of life. Take the blue pill and live in a fantasy land. This is the choice that parents raising athletes have.
The Red Pill
The red pill is facing the reality your child must be self-motivated. That no matter what you do, if your child isn’t self-motivated they will never become elite college, professional, or Olympic athletes. You can push them as hard as you want, get them the best private coaching in the world, and put them on the best teams with the best competition. None of this matters if your child doesn’t want it more than you want it for them.
The Blue Pill
The blue pill is living the fantasy that you can push your child to greatness. It’s believing that you can use external motivators such as punishments, money, treats, etc. to get your child to do what you want them to do. The blue pill is also believing that because your child is an elite youth athlete that they will get a division 1 scholarship or go pro.
The Difficult Choice Leads to Happiness
Choosing to take the red pill is a difficult choice. It’s hard to stop pushing your child once you start. It’s hard to let go of the dreams you have for elite athletic success for your child. However, if you choose the red pill you must let go and attempt to hand off this dream to your child. I say “attempt” because the caveat is that it’s your child’s choice. They must have the self-motivation to push themselves to greatness and you must not pressure them. This choice must come from within.
While it is difficult to choose the red pill, it’s the choice that will make you happier, your child happier, and your family happier in the long run. It’s the choice that will decrease the chance of your child growing up depressed and angry while struggling to cope with the pressure. What’s more, it’s also the choice that’s far more likely to get you what you want in the long run.