Obstacle Mud Runner - Issue 7

17 ForEliteAtheletes to FunRunners 01732 452404 RACE : PERFORMANCE This gives rise to a mix of the origins people are posting from, intending to give some insight into the world in which they live, how they live in it and what reaction they have had to it. Simply put, sharing often feels good to the person sharing it, giving them a boost from the knowledge they’ve shared with those they care receive that message, and the number and types of reactions to it. What happens when these tables turn? It’s from here that the impact on performance can begin to be felt. The point when sharing moves from being a ‘want to do’ exercise to a ‘need to do’ exercise can start to increase the pressure on the publisher to find interesting things to post about. Pressure to live up to an expectation, whether set by yourself or others, has long been a catalyst for limiting performance without the appropriate balance and objectivity. There is also the impact when sitting in the recipient’s point of view. In the first instance, there’s the emotional response felt to seeing the post. Some posts inspire, some challenge, some antagonise and agitate, some excite, some deflate. All entirely human reactions to the context created from the post that was seen. Over time, that initial reaction can foster seeking out of others with a similar point of view, challenge back to those who originally posted the content, or inspiration to set your own bar for performance as high if not higher than that in the original post – reactions that will increase performance in some, and decrease performance in others. Without taking action, these feelings can grow and grow, establishing belief patterns that can ultimately hold you back from you realising who you want to be or what you want to achieve. What to do…what to do… From a recipient’s perspective, being aware of your own emotional response is the first step to helping yourself reduce the impact social media can have on your ability to perform. Taking a moment to ask yourself ‘how has reading this made me feel?’ or ‘what action am I thinking of taking from seeing this?’ can lead you to engage with your response, and make a conscious decision to take a different course of action to digest, disregard, or positive direction from what you have seen. Remembering that unless explicitly discussed, you are working to an assumption of the true intent of the message being shared by the sender, can also help to contextualise that message so that it doesn’t impact you negatively. From a sender’s perspective, taking the time to consider the impact intended versus the impact likely to be felt can ensure a post that was designed to inspire does exactly that. Alternatively, a post that has it’s origins in a cry for help can be treated as such by the recipients, who’s heartfelt support to help the sender can be felt in response. And if your intent is to engage others, the STAR model (Storytelling, Triggers, Amusement, Reaction) proposed by Tiago et al (2016) may be worth remembering in articulating the origins and positioning of your post. That way, when you share your success, you can do it in a way that engages others in your moment, rather than push them away. Some posts inspire, some challenge, some antagonise and agitate, some excite, some deflate.