The chance to play professional soccer is within reach if you follow the path less travelled. You can follow the status quo and become a statistic or you can opt to go against the grain.

Against the norm.

Against the majority and possibly against your coach.

Against your parents?

Settle down and don’t get carried away.

Most players want to be told what to do. Do this and do that, train like this and kick it like that. Don’t eat that, eat this. The merry go round continues endlessly to the point of no return.

Do you know why most players want to be told what to do? Whether it’s the coach or the parent the principles are the same. If I tell you what to do or how to train, the responsibility for your soccer becomes mine.

You get the easy way out, phew, lucky!

Really?

But what happens when you place the responsibility in the wrong hands? What happens when the fountain of youth dries up and the responsibility has changed hands several times to no avail?

Whether you’re starting out or a veteran of the game, take control of your soccer career. Don’t give the responsibility to anyone but yourself.

Giving up the responsibility is like shooting yourself in the foot. Have you ever tried playing the game with one foot?

“May the winds of destiny blow you to the stars.”

Whenever you extend yourself or test yourself there is usually fear as you leave your comfort zone. Fear is a natural reaction. Unfortunately, most players let fear stop them from taking the necessary steps to achieving soccer success.

Soccer success could mean 10 different things to 10 different players or coaches. Whether it’s scoring a professional contract, coaching your team to a premiership or simply giving your child every chance to play in the big leagues, fear needs to be overcome.

The best players in the world feel the fear but are not deterred. Notice how I didn’t say afraid. Players that have gone down in history as the greatest, understand that fear is something to be acknowledged, experienced and used to your advantage. Remember, the path most feared is the one less travelled.

Fear is an emotion created by our body to signal that we are out of our comfort zone. Fear alerts us to dangers and gives us a burst of adrenaline to either run and hide or to stay and fight. Most young players will do anything to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of fear or the feeling of making mistakes. If you are one of those players or your kids are, you run an even bigger risk of never getting what you want in Soccer.

Most of the good stuff in Soccer requires taking risk.

Nothing Ventured, nothing Gained!

Most fears in Soccer today are self-created. Players scare themselves by dreaming up negative outcomes.

“I don’t want to take the penalty in case I miss”

“I hope I don’t mark the number 10″

“If I don’t score, the coach will bench me or get rid of me”

Can you see that you are the one creating the fear?

What happens to your fear when you replace it with an image of success or victory.

“Scoring the winning goal”

“Marking the best player and starving him of the ball which results in your team winning”

“Scoring the penalty with ease and running to your supporters while kissing the clubs emblem”

Try this for a change. Instead of creating fear, create opportunity, confidence, courage and step up to the plate.

Players these day also fear the coach. Any coach that utilises fear as a means of coaching needs to be shot. I’ve had my fair share of dictators and they have all amounted to nothing. A player that fears the coach cannot play freely or to his potential. A player that cannot play freely will stiffen up and inevitably make basic errors. Instead of the player concentrating on the game and his direct opponent, he worries about the coach and his reaction. Stay away from these coaches.

It’s also sad to report that parents are the most common people that kids fear. Why would you dictate and install fear in Kids? It’s your duty to protect your siblings from this emotion, not to create it.

Believe it or not, soccer success happens when you just lean into it and tackle this mass phenomenon one small piece at a time. You need to make yourself or your kids open to opportunities and be willing to do what ever it takes to pursue your dreams. Pursue your soccer dream without a contract, without the guarantee or promise of success and with a big wave of enthusiasm that reaches the shore only when you allow it to.

If you haven’t started, START!

If you have started, keep going and don’t stop. See what it feels like. Does it inspire you? Find out for yourself if you want to keep going instead of sitting on the sidelines deliberating, reflecting and even contemplating.

One of the most extraordinary benefits of learning small segments of soccer at a time is that you begin creating momentum. Momentum is the most beautiful feeling in the world. Momentum is that invisible energy that brings you closer to your soccer goals and dreams. It’s the force that brings more opportunity, more resources and more people and coaches who can help you in your life at seemingly just the right time.

Most of the best known soccer players happened because someone responded favourably to the questions

“Have you ever considered playing in Europe?”

“Could I convince you to play for us?”

“Would you be willing to sign for 5 years?”

One piece at a time you can complete the jigsaw puzzle that is soccer. Start training harder even if you can’t see the end result or the bigger picture. Often when we have a dream that has no certainty, we are afraid to start, afraid to commit ourselves because of the unknown.

Never be afraid of the unknown waters, that is where all the opportunities emerge. Take the biggest run up and prepare to jump in. As you take your clothes off and prepare to jump in, make sure to throw away your fear. Have the willingness to explore your potential. Just start and your soccer journey will inevitably take you to where you want to go or even someplace better.

The day you decide to jump into the unknown waters of soccer, make sure to take a picture of yourself. Why?

This day will be the greatest day in your soccer career.