Performance versus Potential

The word ‘performance’ makes me cringe.

It brings me back to high school swim meets. Spending time before a race visualizing a qualifying time that would earn me a spot in the State swim meet. Then diving off the blocks and falling apart. The weeks, months, years of practice completely escaping me. Anxiety and overthinking taking over.

Potential, I can get behind. Everyone has potential.

With my swimmers, I cultivate curiosity, resilience, and a growth mindset. The ability to find sensations in your body in the water. Shake off the judgement that gets in the way of just being in your body, in the water. Noticing limiting language and opening the mind to possibility.

In my own journey, I’m coming to realize the need to embrace performance. Accept that past performance isn’t an indicator of lack of potential.

They feed each other.

Are you trying to perform without considering potential? This can lead to injury or burnout.

If you know where you’re heading, performance can help you evaluate where you are. Create stepping stones toward where you want to go. And prove the progress that you make along the way.

Together: potential is your guide. Performance gets you there.

I hear you saying, “but sometimes I just want to go for a swim with my friends.”

“I want to vacate my mind and be in the water.”

Or “swimming is my therapy.”

And that’s the truth.

What if you considered this ability to just swim as part of your potential? No everyone can just go for a swim.

What if this was a hint that there’s more there?

What if you leaned into the lessons from the water?

How could this inform your potential?

Go for a swim. Evaluate how you are performing today. Then open yourself up to the possibilities of your potential.

Join us at The Water’s Edge.