Category: Resilience

Est Quod Est

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My definition of Est Quod Est…

To view the person and/or circumstance as it is.

There is no such thing as a bad person or bad circumstance, everything’s perfect and advancing to becoming complete.

We can’t directly change someone or something (and we shouldn’t). Ultimately, we can only change our own perspective and approach, and through that process, MAYBE the person or circumstance might change…

How many curve balls can life throw at once?

It’s been a rough last couple of weeks and while curveballs are inevitable in life, I’m not certain if we can really get used to it.

What I’m certain though, is that the better we are at seeing the world as it is, the better we will be able to recognise what’s within our control and what’s not, and the better we will feel about ourselves and the world around us…

It is as it is…

Coach Hansen

The Fear of Disappointing Others

I’ve recently started coaching a new group of athletes who are prepping for the Manila SEA Games, and one of the more “contentious” discussions we had relates to the Fear of Failure associated with Social Approval.

What’s the Fear of Failure associated with Social Approval?

Simply put, many athletes simply worry too much about what others think about them. I often refer to this as ‘Mind-Reading’.

Although they may not admit it readily, most athletes are driven by the respect and recognition associated with their sporting prowess, and their identity as an athlete. They might believe that they don’t care what others think about themselves or their performance but that’s seldom true.

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Social Approval is part of human nature (The world works only when we care how people think! We are all social animals and a communal species that is interdependent) and all athletes are driven by it to a certain extent.

However, when taken to an extreme, it often turns into a source of fear. For example, athletes may be afraid of letting their teammates down or to disappoint their coaches and parents. They often feel tensed and anxious or are afraid to take risks when others are watching.

Does that sound familiar to some of you already?

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Why be Grateful?

Much has been preached about the attitude of gratitude. Almost every religion or philosopher (even Bayfucius) advocates it, but what’s the science behind it? How does it make us better, happier and even more resilient?

When we express gratitude, we are Focused On What We Have instead of what we don’t.

Gratitude is somewhat counter-intuitive in a country where we “Everything also complain.” Furthermore, Singaporeans are an ambitious lot, always focusing on achieving what we do not have yet. This may develop to become a sort of blindness that limits our worldview, i.e., we are less likely to notice the good in our lives and even the opportunities that come our way.

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