The weight of expectation for professional athletes

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The legend, and IMHO the greatest ever athlete speaks sense.

This is the reality of contracts nowadays.

It could be one good season, a few exceptional matches and boom, an athletes stock rises.

And before you know it, they have something big to prove.

And big can be -
"Are you worth £100million"
"Can you score 25 goals a season for the next 5 years?"
"Can you win 5 grand slams during your sponsorship deal"

Sure, it's nice to have dollar in the bank as security, but does it ease the pressure or add to it?

Maybe for some it does one and for others it does the other.

One thing I can tell you for sure, having spent thousands of hours with elite athletes is, the money doesn't gloss over what they feel internally.

It doesn't gloss over the losses
It doesn't gloss over the bad performances
It doesn't gloss over the scrutiny

With a heavy price tag comes a heavy expectation and for some that is too heavy a noose to always carry round.

I have seen it and heard it with my own ears.

A client, professional footballer actually said - "They pay me all this money and I can't even turn up on time and be professional"

Shame.
Guilt.
Lack of self worth for what you have been given

These are real experiences and emotions athletes feel because they are human beings first.

My mission is to help see the human behind the athlete and help them for who they are, not what they do.

Much love to all you athletes out there who are struggling to deal with the weight of expectation.

Alex x