How to Build Determination in Sports?
What is self-determination? Self-determination can be defined as a combination of skills, knowledge and beliefs that enable a person to engage in goal-directed, self-regulated, autonomous behavior.
In order to succeed, each and every individual needs skills related to self-determination. However, these skills are especially important for sports-people, especially sports women, because they are victims of the still pervading gender bias. Thus sports women often face more barriers to self-determination than do other individuals in our society.
Five Steps to Self-Determination
Field and Hoffman have identified five steps to self-determination. The first and foremost is to understand and know self as an individual and with respect to one’s environment (sports or otherwise). The next step to self-determination is to value self and regard self as a worthy individual. Self-esteem develops gradually. The third step is to plan anything and everything including the course of action. The next obvious step is to act on the plan. The last and final step to self determination is to experience and accept outcomes, and learn from the mistakes or issues involved.
Learn from Role Models
A role model preferably from the same line of sports can play an important role in supporting the development and expression of self-determination in sports women. It is important to observe the choices the role models make, including why they make the choices they do, to notice how the role models are putting their choices into action, and to analyze what could be learnt from these role models toward self-determination.
Keep Exploring to Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses
By exploring a variety of options, and reflecting on personal reactions to those options, sports women can learn what they like or don’t like, and develop a greater understanding of their personal strengths and weaknesses. Exploration involves a certain amount of risk. But, exploring in small steps and anticipating and planning the course of action for potential consequences can minimize this risk.
An understanding of one’s strengths and limitations together with a belief in self as capable and effective are essential to self-determination or one’s will-power. When acting on the basis of these skills and attitudes, individuals have greater ability to take control of their lives and assume the role of successful sport persons.
Gaining control over one’s life in general and sports in particular, involves learning and then successfully applying self-determination skills, such as setting targets and goals, understanding ones’ own abilities and disabilities, solving problems, and most importantly, self advocacy. Thus, the personal process of learning, using and self-evaluating these skills in a variety of settings, is at the heart of self-determination.
In a nutshell, the building of self determination in a sports woman usually involves the following:
- Definition of success is different for different people. One needs to define success, as she perceives it.
- Keeping one’s expectations high is an essential component in self-determination. Personal, academic, and career goals need to be set.
- Personal abilities and disabilities need to be understood. Playing up to one’s strengths is crucial.
- Strategies need to be developed to meet the goals set by self.
- Persevere-ness, flexibility, and hard work are the three main ingredients for self-determination and visualized success.
- It is also essential to develop a support network. The network should include family, friends, trainers and teachers.
In conclusion it can be said that a strong vision, combined with unyielding determination, as well as focus and regard for others, is a formula for almost certain success. This vision then becomes a defining and motivating force.
Source: University of Washington