How can I better support when my athlete loses her ambition?

Have you had this question in mind? If you’re a mom resonating with this, recognize this feeling because it’s a hard place to be in. And many moms have experienced seeing their daughters “lose” ambition/motivation all the time. 

What can we do in times like this? We can’t expect them to always be on fire, but what could be the reason behind this?

This happens for a variety of reasons. For example, your motivation to do your daily routines, exercises, etc. You probably don't feel like doing those things all the time. And that’s normal human behavior.

Athletes also go through that too, because motivation comes and goes. That feeling of ambition comes and goes. And so we can't expect our athletes to always be on fire doing things. 

What causes the lack of motivation?

She may be getting a little burnout, or maybe her goals have changed. Sometimes she’s just pausing to figure out what to do.

The reason for the lack of motivation may be one of those things. But it is also a “normal” human behavior to not feel motivated all the time. We teach athletes in The Elite Competitor Program to not treat “motivation” as a companion they rely on all the time. 

Motivation is not a good training partner because it’s unpredictable. 

Discipline, on the other hand, is the best training partner/companion they can rely on. And this is a good thought that your athlete could keep in mind. 

Remember your role as her mom. You can help a lot in this kind of situation, and there are two things you’re responsible for when your athlete is lacking motivation.

Nothing will replace her doing the work herself

Part of letting it be her journey is allowing her to figure out what works/or doesn't work. You give her those opportunities so that she can have ownership over them. And then you kind of step back. She might fail. It might not look how you feel like it should look, but part of that is allowing her to learn from that.

It's like learning how to squat - you can read about it, be surrounded by it, watch others do it...and that helps. But, then YOU have to do it!

It’s hard for a parent to see her lose interest and leave her sport. Recognize what you felt, and keep in mind that there are underlying things connected to her actions. So, remember your role. 

• Shaping the environment. 
• Providing opportunities and seeing you/other people do it. 

The combination of those things is essential, but ultimately she has to take ownership and do the work. That's where the change happens.

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