Aarti
It all happened in 20 seconds. The Rams’ starting quarterback was Nick Foles, and they had dropped their previous two games. Foles, quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke, backup quarterbacks Case Keenum, and Sean Mannion, and the rest of the team sat in a game-planning room. Suddenly, Jeff Fischer, head coach, came into the room. Foles was thanked for his time in the role, but he was informed that he would no longer be the team’s starting quarterback. Fischer then bowed out as abruptly as he had entered, catching Foles off guard. Just two years after being named to the pro bowl, Foles opted to call it quits at the end of that season. It’s over.
How did he go from being a nobody at that point to the MVP of the Super Bowl just two years later? In his book Believe It: My Journey of Success, Failure, and Overcoming the Odds, Foles shares his inspiring life story. His self-deception was the largest roadblock on his path to rediscovering the thrill of playing and rising above defeat. In fact, I think it’s a problem for any man. Men lose their authority when they habitually believe lies. Foles’s outlook on the game was transformed after he learned to recognize and disregard falsehoods, and he went on to win the Super Bowl. In what ways will this affect you? Here are 3 myths that males commonly hold about themselves.
1. I am what I do.
If you let this falsehood enter your thinking, you will never be able to surpass your previous accomplishments. To win is to succeed. To lose is to be a loser. Just the facts. Foles was deceived and believed this. He was confident like he was before the last game. He felt liberated when he understood his identity is not determined by his past achievements or failures. He realized that his actual identity is not his accomplishments but God’s unending love for him. After that happened, football had nothing to do with building character. All he had to do was make use of his divinely bestowed talents. What special abilities has God endowed you with? You shouldn’t gauge your worth against their. What you are is priceless. You guys should just go outside and play.
2. I am what people say about me.
If you buy into this falsehood, you’ll feel as good (in your head) as the last compliment you received. As a result, many men hide their true selves from the world in order to fit in. They spend their time attempting to conform to the expectations of those around them. The person is just pretending to live. Do you require constant reassurance? When someone says anything terrible about you, does it send you spiraling? Positive reinforcement is essential, and the sting of criticism is real. You will remain a hollow shell of a human being unless you can face the truth and accept yourself. There will always be someone who will mistrust you, think critically about you, and say awful things about you. You may as well deal with it now. No matter what anyone says, you look great.
3. I am what I have.
If you buy into this myth, you’ll be worth whatever you have amassed materially and socially. You’ll become a glutton because there’s never enough to satisfy. You’ll be frightened and worried about losing what you have. And it will cause you to feel bad about yourself when you compare yourself to others. Your wealth and your employment (or your lack thereof) do not define you. You are not what you accomplish or how much sway you have in society.
Why are you valuable?
The realization that Foles is valuable as described below changed his life. God, who made him, loves him without conditions. Because of this, he will always be remembered. I share his belief. Why should anyone care about you?
