Thank you for taking the time to share this space with me, a space with the purpose of sharing ideas to spark inspiration and discussion. I will use this medium to start conversations about topics that are important to me and that I wish to explore and reflect upon. Through time I hope to have shared with the readers various personal experiences, football and well-being philosophies and a general analysis about happenings in our everyday lives.

As I have done in all successful teams or groups that I have been a part of, I would like to start this journey discussing values and the role they play in my professional and personal life. At the beginning of a season or when building a work team, it is key that each member of the group is aware and agrees to the standard of behaviour expected in the team or group. This allows for clarity in the work approach and simultaneously strengthens bonds within the group. I have always involved the whole team in the decision of which values they will represent, allowing all players to feel they are part of the process, which in turn creates a strong link between them.

My goal is to share how this process has affected and continues to have an impact on my own life. I wish to shine light on three specific values: perseverance, openness and love. These have played an essential part in my professional and personal growth, each influencing important moments of my life. Let us start with perseverance.

Throughout the career of any player there are many moments of doubt. Whether it is dealing with injuries, not enough playing time or general unhappiness and dissatisfaction in their current team, many times it feels easier and more logical to throw in the towel and give up. Sierra Keller said, “your mind will quit a thousand times before your body will. Feel fear and do it anyways.”  The quote represents the perseverance necessary to succeed not just on the pitch, but in any arena. I must make the clarification that “succeeding” is an internal state of mind, and not determined by external factors such as position, money or status.  I will return to this topic in more depth in upcoming entries.

Back to perseverance. The mindset in which you tackle the different obstacles presented in your career and life, will make all the difference on your ability to solve those problems. To persevere also means to look at challenges as an opportunity, and to believe with every part of your being that when the difficult times are over, much brighter moments await on the other side. My recommendation: see bad moments as openings to understand that everything depends on the approach you take on the situation. Your mind will try at times to make you quit, but don’t forget you control your mind, which in turn controls your body, which in turn controls your actions. Have a positive mindset and positive actions will follow.

The second value I wish to discuss is openness. I see this as being capable of understanding and accepting different ways of thinking or acting and looking for new experiences that might be out of one’s comfort zone. In my life I have been very fortunate to have lived in various places and interacted with many different cultures with unique ideals and behaviors. For example, I have met many people who live in a foreign country that continuously compare their current living situation to their native land. A waste of time and energy. Instead, look for the beauty in the new environments, reflect on how they might bring out new attributes in you.  Do not fear change, especially the change that happens within. A healthy mind is one that is willing to grow. Embrace new situations and face them with a clean slate, this means without preconceived notions or judgments.  Try to be objective, focus on the good and identify the commonalities and shared values that do exist. You will be surprised how this approach will allow you to identify with and flourish within even the most different and complex situations.

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, love. No, not the kind you see on movies or hear about from boy bands (although this kind is just as necessary for healthy living).  I am talking about love for oneself and for the tasks at hand, more specifically the latter. If you are a football professional, you understand the number of hours spent working–planning, analyzing, delivering, meeting, evaluating, the list goes on. However, I am quite certain that the grand majority of people involved in this business would not trade their salary for a bigger one at a job where they wouldn’t be able to be involved with “the beautiful game.” The sole reason, love for what we do. For us, nothing can compare to the feeling of a well planned and executed training session, seeing the development of our players, or winning the league with your senior team. I invite the reader to find what you love about the tasks you do every day, whether it be part of your career, hobby or family life. Only when we perform actions with the utmost care and attention to detail can we expect to produce the best results, and of course enjoyment in the process.

I hope there was something in this piece that you identified with or at least sparked some reflection. I am looking forward to sharing more thoughts and experiences with all of you. Let us create a space for thinking and debate. Let us push through the toughest moments of our lives with perseverance and an unwavering conviction that everything will work out for the best if we continue to work for it. Let us be open for new ideas that can inspire growth, learning and a change inside of us. Finally, let us love and feel completely engaged in the tasks we do every day, adding meaning and flavor to our life.