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I know I talk about sports a lot, but it is still the best life training tool I know of. Let me give you a tale to demonstrate my point. Zain is a lacrosse goalie, and he suffered a fairly good shot to his inner thigh this weekend. Yes, that soft place on your inner thigh that never gets hit by anything. The ball sailed through all of his padding, leaving a cool purple lacrosse ball-sized mark on his inner thigh.

Needless to say, this hurt a lot and made it difficult to walk or move. This experience made him hesitant to return to the field for a while. This allowed me to speak with him about playing through pain and doing the things we should even when it hurts. I asked him if he was seriously hurt or just terrified.

He said he was terrified, but he was also hurt and couldn’t go. We were then able to discuss doing things even if it hurt. Even when you don’t want to be there for your team, you must. I was able to inform him that decisions are not always simple. Things can be painful and frightening at times, but we must persevere and carry on. I was able to convince him that small decisions like this one shape our entire life.

Are we going to let minor incidents like this one determine what we do and who we are, or are we going to decide for ourselves? I told him it was absolutely up to him which path he chose. He thought he could go back in and play the next game. He later told me that he was terrified, and that while they were taking shots, he could feel himself recoil away from the ball at first. But then he claimed he decided to just play harder, and at the end of it, he said he wasn’t terrified anymore, and his leg did feel a bit better.

Will we let tiny instances like this one define what we do and who we are, or will we decide for ourselves? I informed him that it was entirely up to him which road he chose. He believed he may return and play the next game. He later told me that he was afraid and that he could feel himself flinch away from the ball at first when they were shooting. But then he said he just determined to play harder, and at the end, he stated he wasn’t scared anymore, and his leg felt a little better.

Will we let tiny instances like this one define what we do and who we are, or will we decide for ourselves? I informed him that it was entirely up to him which road he choose. He believed he may return and play the next game. He later told me that he was afraid and that he could feel himself flinch away from the ball at first when they were shooting. But then he said he just determined to play harder, and at the end, he stated he wasn’t scared anymore, and his leg felt a little better.

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Dr. Matt Chalmers

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only. Before taking any action based on this information you should first consult with your physician or health care provider. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions regarding a medical condition, your health, or wellness.