I can do this on my own, I don’t need help!
This is what I often said when I was 6 years old.
I grew up in a family that loved sailing. From April until October, we spent almost every weekend at the sailing club. I loved it….
I was super exited when my patents told me that they bought us our first small sailing boat, a nice orange Optimist.
When it finally arrived, I could not wait to get on the water.….even though I had never sailed a boat myself before.
I was not afraid at all and was simply convinced I could do it….
I said to my parents “of course, I can do this on my own”! So, my parents helped me to get in the boat and pushed me away….
After a few minutes…I learned that sailing is not as easy as it looks.
The boat started to turn and turn and turn. My older sister watched and started to cry.
I can’t remember being afraid. I just loved it….
Luckily there was a coach on the water, who helped me to get back ashore. No harm was done…and I am still a passionate solo sailor today.
Often, I think back of this event. As a kid there is usually no fear of failure. You just start new adventures without too much thinking what could go wrong.
How different is that in adult life. When you embark on something new, your brain takes over and thoughts pop up from nowhere.
What if….
✓ I can’t do this
✓ I am not good enough
✓ I may hurt myself
✓ other people may not like what I do
Etc, etc, etc…
Learning how to deal with this negative self-talk and to overcome other obstacles that are holding you back, is essential if you want to follow your dreams…..
…. and getting support from a coach is a sign of strength, not of weakness.
