How does your child evaluate fun and excitement in their life, sports and school? Creating a vision for the moment, day, week or year defines a path towards happiness.
Headed towards the long tournament weekend, Julie has already started to focus her energy on the events, interactions and games she will play as her team pursues another tournament championship.
Julie’s response to “how do you want to feel…” focused on her feelings of excitement and fulfillment. Bringing home the championship cup didn’t seem to be at the forefront of her vision for the coming weekend.
With a clear vision in place for the weekend I asked Julie to share her assets (strengths) that she would use to bring her closer to the vision she had shared. Among the top assets she shared were: confidence, athletic ability, mental strength, physical strength, knowledge of the game and enthusiasm.
I asked Julie to figure out how many hours she would be on the field and in a position to use her assets effectively. From the 72 available hours, she determined that only 15 hours (5 hours per day anticipating the team’s participation in the championship match) would actually be spent on the playing field where she could act on her vision.
Identifying the 15-hour time block will give Julie the opportunity to focus her assets and energy in the place where they will have the greatest benefit. I encouraged her to shut off the mental focus switch the moment she leaves the field. With the switch in the off position her body and mind will begin to recharge in anticipation of the next match. Allowing teens to take a mental break from the rigor of their athletic or academic pursuits often leads to more productive and focused periods of performance when they reengage. Guiding your child to uncover their vision and then focus their time and energy are two of the greatest gifts a parent can give their child.
