How to Help an Athlete Reach Their Potential
While it’s true there is no definitive answer to the question of potential without hindsight, there are ways to increase the chance for an athlete to reach it. Potential is a product of three things:
- Talent
- Self-motivation to invest in that talent so it becomes a strength
- The ability to leverage that strength under the pressure of competition
With that said, when an athlete has a talent but does not have the motivation to turn it into a strength, they will likely not reach their athletic potential in that area of talent. As a rule of thumb, for an athlete to turn a talent into a strength, they must truly love their sport.
When an athlete has self-motivation because they love their sport, it’s by far easier for them to reach their potential in that sport. This is because the hard work and drudgery one must invest to turn a talent into a strength doesn’t feel so bad when you enjoy what you are doing. On the other hand, when an athlete doesn’t love their sport, they will resist hard work and drudgery in every moment.
Therefore, the best way to help an athlete reach their potential is to help that athlete find a sport they truly love.