Overcome Sports Competition's Stress

29 October 2008 - Competing against yourself
I lost in a men's double table tennis match. We won the first set but lost 2 sets after that. After communicating with my other friend which is a good table tennis player, I agree to him that the table tennis game is actually a mind game. I was not feeling very nervous during the game but I was too anxious. I think I have played too carefully which caused me to many hesitations/doubts. This has coused me lost many points to the opponents.

Besides, I was too egoistics as well. Supposingly, it should be another student playing the men's double instead of me. However, I requested to play and somehow I got to play. Maybe this was also another factor that caused me lost the game. Anyway, the other student who should have played is much stable and consistent that me.

After lossing, many feelings and thoughts within me which was not under my control. Definately these feeling are negetive like doubts, blames, anger, sad, confuse...

Amazingly, I prayed to God about all these things and my faithful led me to a positive understanding. That's the biggest competitor is actually youself. If I have a mind set that I am competing with myself instead of others, then I should have played better which may reach my traning standard. I would have be more relax because I am competing to myself to perform the best!!!


30 October 2008 - Obedience
This was the second and last day of our competition. So I got myself prepared for the match as usual. However, I was carrying along the feeling of confusion although it’s at a minimal level compared to yesterday. Although I still have a little of negative feeling but I tried to get my mind set correct that was: Today I am going to compete to myself and I am going to perform the best!

Fortunately and unfortunately, I did not get a chance to play even a single match. Fortunate in the sense that my team was good to get 3 wins (3/5) before my last match which was the mixed double. Unfortunately, I could not apply what I have learned yesterday. Anyway, we won in the final and our team became the champion. You know what? My excitement was overflowing from within me even it’s has covered my negative feelings yesterday.

I was so excited and happy that my team won. I have obeyed and followed the original plan which was to play in mixed double. Although I did not get a chance to play but I still feel very happy for everything. So, today God has thought me another lesson of obedience.

On my journey of Christian life, I will have to rely and believe on God . Many times I doubt that God’s plan is not as good as mine. But I will continually believe that if I chose to obey and follow the end result will be full of joyfulness and satisfaction that is beyond my imagination!