Minute Motivators for Athletes
Stan Toler & Billy Bajema
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Minute Motivators for Athletes
eBook ISBN 978-1-937602-33-8
Copyright © 2012 Dust Jacket Press
Authors: Stan Toler & Billy Bajema
Dust Jacket Press
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All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the Publisher.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®), Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
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Contents
Consider the impact of your choices
It should come as no surprise that the Bible is full of references to athletes. Sports serve as a powerful metaphor for our spiritual life. Just as athletes must be driven and focused and determined, so followers of Jesus must devote their lives to Him in order to achieve the prize.
Athletes need special encouragement for their day-to-day lives because they cannot afford to take a break from the lifestyle required for excellence in their sport. Even when it’s not race day, athletes are training and eating right and gearing up psychologically for the big event. That requires perseverance, which cannot be mustered up by sheer will power alone. You need something more. You need inspiration.
Minute Motivators for Athletes is a source of encouragement and inspiration for men and women of any age who have chosen to use their bodies to the full potential that God has given.
See you at the finish line!
—Stan Toler & Billy Bajema
Be relaxed.
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
—John Wooden
SELF-ACCEPTANCE
Every athlete is meticulously scrutinized by coaches, judges, fans, friends, and even relatives. It’s the nature of the role. You train to perform, and performance is for an audience. Being constantly judged has to affect your psyche— unless you intentionally resist its power. If you were to allow other people’s opinion of you to shape your opinion of self, the stress would be too much. You would constantly be riding highs and lows, and working in vain for acceptance.
Resist the temptation to judge your self-worth based on the opinions of other people. While it is important to honor the legitimate expectations of your coach and teammates, constantly seeking approval leads to a life of frustration. The highs will be high—when others affirm you. But the lows will be even lower when they do not. Your spiritual and emotional well-being will be diminished, and your athletic performance will suffer.
Just relax. Take a deep breath, and enjoy what you’re doing. Pay attention to the thing that made you fall in love with sports in the first place. Take pleasure in the fact that you have a strong, fit, and healthy body. Feel the satisfaction as you push yourself to excel. Enjoy the thrill of the game. Celebrate your successes. And thank God for your skill.