The Power of Belief

The power of belief remains one of the most powerful tools a person possesses.  Yet, in life and leadership, it can be one of the hardest ones to find when we need it the most.  Belief is most valuable when our circumstances are stacked against us. 

The Power Of Belief

For those that may not be regular readers, I have been writing a lot about high school wrestling lately.  We are in the final stages of the season in Georgia.  In fact, this coming weekend wraps it up with the Georgia High School Association State Championships.

My son, Grant, is in his junior year at Allatoona High School and I am a volunteer assistant coach for his team.

Last weekend, he wrestled in the region tournament and finished second.  He had a great tournament, but was bested in the championship finals by a wrestler that he has struggled to beat this season.  After region, Grant was 0-3 against the kid.  Things were starting to look bleak for Grant, discouragement was building.

Circumstances Beyond Our Control

Here is how wrestling works.  A wrestler must place in the top four in the region to advance to the Sectional Tournament.  Grant did that.  From there, he needed to place in the top eight at sectionals this weekend to advance to state.    

In the classification that we are in (determined by school population), there are eight regions.  I truly believe that we have the hardest region in the State.  It’s not only a belief, but a fact, the top two teams at the state tournament each year are always from our region.

It makes things a lot tougher to get out of region, but those circumstances are beyond our control.  As coaches, we encourage the wrestlers to focus on the match in front of them and believe. 

In life and leadership, we face circumstances beyond our control.  We aren’t always dealt the hand we desire.  When we face circumstances that are beyond our control, belief is the great overcomer. 

Inspiring Belief In Others   

In each loss, Grant closed the gap with his opponent.  The matches got closer, and closer, and closer.  After that third loss to the kid, Grant came off the mat pretty dejected.  The post-match conflict of dad vs coach talk is real!  Typically, they work in opposing directions…not this time. 

I really thought he had wrestled a good match.  There were a few small things that went the other guy’s way that made all the difference in the outcome. 

Regardless of whether it’s dad or coach, I always try to give him space after a loss, but not this time!  I went straight to him.  Just as he sat down on the gym floor, I said to him, “You wrestled great, it’s going to happen (to beat the other kid), I believe it.”  I repeated myself over and over.  There was no doubt he would see the kid again next weekend. 

Coaches have a unique Superpower, the ability to inspire belief in others.  It’s also possessed by friends, family, and leaders.  The ability to inspire belief in others lifts people up in their darkest moments and nudges them towards the light.  On to a destination better than the offerings of today. 

Believing In Yourself

There is a second part of the belief system…believing in yourself.

Well, things panned out as I had expected.  This past weekend, Grant and his nemesis both made it to the sectional finals.  It was rematch time!

I stood mat side as his match approached.  Grant paced back and forth in front of me as he prepared his body and mind for battle.  Every time he passed by, I would tell him, “Today is the day, believe.”  There was zero doubt that I believed that it was going to happen, the question was, did he believe it himself?

The other kid got the first takedown. Grant battled back to tie the score up.  Both wrestlers wrestled great. 

Regulation ended with a tie score of four to four.  The match was going into overtime, the first takedown would win the match and secure the sectional championship for one of them. 

As he toed the line in overtime, all I could offer him was…“Believe.”  Well, he did.  Not because I did, but because he did.  He got the takedown, became section champion, and punched his ticket to the state tournament. 

In life and leadership, it’s easy to lean on the belief of others, but much harder to stand on our own belief.  When we believe in ourselves, anything is possible.  There is no failure, no defeat, no obstacle, or no valley that can stand in the way of belief in oneself. 

Conclusion

Grant is a pretty chill kid.  I’ve coached him since he was five in baseball, football, and wrestling.  Never, and I mean never have I witnessed his raw emotion displayed after the referee called the takedown!  His intensity let loose. 

My hope and prayer is that moment was a breakthrough for him.  One that will carry him far in this world, well beyond the wrestling mat. 

I truly believe that in that moment, belief defeated doubt for him.  It’s a special kind of moment that I hope that each one of us experiences in this journey of life and leadership…just believe.