As I mentioned before, the number one barrier I have seen to our kids being more successful is fear. When I ask the kids what they are afraid of during a match, they almost always say losing or looking bad. When I get behind the scenes of those comments, what they almost always mean is that they are afraid of being labeled a loser or they are afraid of being humiliated.
All of this goes to their identity. They are trying to protect their identity. Their and our identity does not change based on our performance. That is the performance trap. For believers in Christ, our identity is totally secure. It does not changed based on our performance. Christ bought our new identity for us with His shed Blood on the Cross.
Our new identity goes something like this...
"I am God's child."
"I am chosen by God."
"I am free from condemnation."
"I am a citizen of Heaven."
"I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind."
"I am wonderfully made by God who never makes a mistake."
I would encourage anyone, especially the kids, to recite this over and over in their minds; maybe even to carry it around on an index card with them. It's especially helpful to say to ourselves/themselves as we/they go to sleep at night.
A more comprehensive listing our our identity in Christ is available at the following web link...
Who I am in Christ
