The Other Gateway Drug You Must Steer Young Athletes Away From
By definition, a drug is a something that has a physiological effect when introduced to one’s body. A person does not need to smoke or ingest the substance in order to consider it a drug.
With this in mind, today I want to bring your attention to a drug you may have never considered a drug. This drug is a gateway to persistent unhappiness and possibly depression. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of adults already have an addiction problem with this drug.
When the Present Moment is Just a Gateway to the Future and Past
Simply stated, this drug is thinking too much about the past and future. This may surprise you. Thinking about the future and reflecting on the past is normally a healthy planning activity. Yes, this is true. However, when everything you do in the present is all about finding happiness in the future or past there is a problem.
This is because true happiness is only available in the present moment. Therefore, if you are always thinking about past success or future goals, then the present moment fades away. The present simply becomes a burden.
This is especially dangerous for athletes. When everything an athlete does in the present is for making them happy in the future, happiness becomes a dream and never a reality. Even once an athlete achieves their goals, they find it hard to be happy in that moment because their present moment then turns to thinking about their past success.
This can be torture, but it’s even worse when an athlete does not achieve their goal. The athlete looks back on all those years of training, preparing and competing as a waste of time. Which is just not true. Unfortunately, once your brain is on this drug the truth doesn’t matter.
If you are a parent of a young athlete, you must teach them to enjoy each moment to the fullest. As you already know, it’s hard for adults to center their mind to enjoy the moment, so it’s even harder for kids. However, it’s in the present moment where we all must find reason to celebrate, learn, and grow.