One of the Best Ways to Develop a Young Athlete’s Self-Motivation
Investing in a young athlete’s talents won’t guarantee success alone. Young athletes must also have the self-motivation to continue to invest in their talents without you. Self-motivation is the drive to complete an activity for only the satisfaction gained in doing the activity.
This satisfaction is the result of fun or mental stimulation. In addition, this satisfaction comes in the absence of external pressure or reward.
With this in mind, one of the best ways to develop a young athlete’s self-motivation is to support that athlete in becoming a fan of someone who is the best in the world at their sport. This includes taking them to see this pro perform on the biggest and best stages. In addition, to further this along, find other role models and mentors for them to admire, cheer for, and learn from.
This may not be a secret sauce, but it’s a non-obvious way to redirect some of the money you may want to invest on camps, privates, and competitions. If self-motivation is an issue, you will find that investing in building fandom is just as important as investing in building skills.