Many have noted that Murray has been under immense pressure to break that drought and to me this seems to be a classic example of pressure inhibiting one from competing at the best level.
There is nothing wrong with pressure mind you. Pressure can at times be good. It can bring out the best in you or even show you that you're doing something wrong. I even know people who thrive under the pressure, feed off its energy and perform under the most stringent of conditions like its nothing. But for every one of those there is at least one person who cannot stand up to whatever standard and thus crumbles under the shattering weight of expectation.
This living up to expectation thing.
Why do we all struggle with it?
Why are we so fixated at times on making sure we don't mess up, don't ruin it? No matter what you're doing, messing up is key to excelling. Why do I say that? Well because of flipping experience! There is no way that anyone reading this has gotten better at whatever skill by always succeeding!
You must have caved at least one time in your life. Heck it had better be more than one time, like a hundred at least! Its just the way of life.
However pressure can creep up on you and hit you at the most crucial time. What are you to do then?
If you excel, you'll be praised. If you fail, praise likely will not follow and at the most unfortunate times ridicule will occur.
One example fresh in my mind is I have a friend who failed to meet the expectations of a coach/team. Because of my friend there were obstacles being faced that shouldn't have been posed. The recent pressure had gotten to them and now was eating away at them. Why was my friend like this? It's cuz of the inner perfectionist my friend carries inside... The fault didn't lie with my friend's performance. Bad days happen to everyone and this was one of them. I told this to them and reminded them that it was not their fault. I just hope that my words rang within their head.
Honestly I probably shouldn't have said anything but its those moments that I feel people who are struggling with pressure need to hear that it's not their fault. I may have a horrible approach to this, but in the right way telling someone that it's not their fault hopefully leads them to understand that things will never always go their planned route.
That being said here's something my former roommate wrote to me on the last day of our conference meet
We all need to be surrounded by people who love us no matter what. Its thanks to those kind of people one's success never truly ends.
Life is full of obstacles and failed expectations, but don't let that ever stop you from moving forward.
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