It’s a form of self-sabotage.

Really, it is.

Some athletes half-ass it because they want to protect their ego.

You see if they only give it a half-effort and it doesn’t work out then they can save some face with everyone.

They can pass it off that they didn’t really want to return to sport.

They didn’t give up everything to achieve their goals.

And so they can still remain cool and not take a hit emotionally when they don’t achieve what they set out to.

Over the past couple of decades it’s become cool not to try.

And I can’t for the life of me understand it.

Maybe at one point I did.

When I was about 16 my number one priority was fitting in and being cool.

And it was cool not to try.

It was cool not to care too much about anything.

It was cool to amble through life never really trying hard to achieve anything.

Those that had it, had it.

And those that didn’t didn’t.

Until a hard talk from one of my teachers made me realise…

If you never try at anything, and you never achieve anything as a result, then what are you going to be able to look back on on your deathbed proudly about.

What meaning is your life going to have?

What example are you setting for your future kids and grandkids if you have any?

And from that moment on, I decided that I wasn’t going to care what people thought anymore.

I was going to strive to get every last ounce of talent out of myself and achieve all that I’m capable of.

And perhaps that was a little unhealthy too.

But I’d definitely take it over the alternative.

You see, it is only by committing to going a little too far, that we can see how far we can go.

Only by risking overdoing it can we do all that we can.

And something interesting happens when you give it your all.

Firstly, your friends will start to criticise you and make fun of you for giving it your all.

They’ll say that you’ve changed.

They’ll say that you’re never around anymore.

They’ll tell you it’s not worth it.

But then something interesting happens.

As soon as they start to see the progress that you’re making towards your goal they’ll start to respect you for it.

They’ll be absolutely shocked with how far you come.

They’ll ask you how you’ve done it.

How have you improved so much?

Whilst they actually know the answer.

It’s all the work that you have done that they thought was unnecessary.

The work they tried to pull you away from.

The work they tried to discourage you from doing.

Because they couldn’t bear to see you put in the work that they were putting off.

They couldn’t bear to see you grow so much when they stayed the same.

They couldn’t bear to be reminded that they too could achieve all that they want to if they just committed to doing the work.

So, they choose the cooler option.

It’s cool not to care.

It’s cool not to try.

It’s cool to be cool.

And most athletes fall into this same category.

They go through the motions in their training.

They cut corners.

They skip their prep work before the pitch.

They skip extra conditioning after sessions.

They fob off the gym in-season.

They choose the easy way out.

And I see it with rehab as well.

Athletes choose to do their rehab with us.

But they think that simply signing up should be enough to get the results that they say they want.

They don’t ask themselves how they can get the most out of the process.

They don’t send video for feedback.

They go through the motions in the gym, cutting corners where they can.

A set here, a rep there.

It doesn’t matter how much they put in because if they don’t achieve their goals they’ll be able to blame someone else for all their problems.

They’ll blame us.

They’ll blame their previous physio.

They’ll blame their coaches.

They’ll continue to point fingers all over the place as to why it never works out for them.

They’ll be able to continue playing the victim.

And subconsciously, that’s what they want.

They want to be able to say that they’re different from everybody else.

That they’ve been unlucky with injuries.

That they’re injury prone.

That things haven’t gone their way because of forces outside of their control.

But they fail to ask them the important questions.

What can I control?

Am I doing everything in my power to achieve success in those areas?

Am I doing every last thing that I can to return to the field successfully?

Am I coachable?

Am I actually chasing feedback?

Am I performing every exercise with the right intent?

Am I recovering as best as I can?

Am I improving my mental fitness throughout this process?

Or is there more that I can give?

And the answer usually when they ask those questions is yes.

Yes, there is more that you can give.

If you were giving too much then we’d tell you.

But we can only guide you through this process.

You’ve got to take the steps yourself.

And I believe that there’s comfort in knowing that you gave it your all.

There’s comfort in knowing that you couldn’t have given it any more.

Because maybe you’ll achieve your goals.

Maybe you won’t.

But the only way to have full confidence that you won’t is by not trying at all.

The only way to increase the chances that you will is by giving it all that you’ve got.

So if you’re going to do the work anyway, why would you not give it all that you’ve got?

What’s the worst that could happen?

You fail?

So what?

If that happens, it happens.

But I’d prefer to not lie on my deathbed with a sense of regret.

I’d prefer to know that I gave it everything.

That’s the type of life I want to look back on.

That’s the type of person that I want to be.

And that’s the difference between those athletes that half-ass it and the ones that give it their all.

No prizes for figuring out which ones return to sport and reach the top level.

And which ones never really achieve anything at all.

My advice.

Do everything in your power to be one of the ones with no regrets.