Be Obsessed With the Game!

There is something special about a child who simply cannot get enough of the game.

They play soccer at practice—and then come home and play some more. They live, breathe, eat, train, sleep, and dream the game in some way everyday.

They watch games. Study players. Kick a ball around the house. Talk about soccer in the car. Replay their own games in their head. They study their team’s wins and losses and their individual contributions. They ask to go outside for just a few more touches.

They aren’t doing it because a parent told them to practice or out of obligation.

They are obsessed with the game. Not obligated to play the game. Because ultimately the game is a reflection of their own game and whether they have the potential to excel.

And I have come to believe that kind of obsession can be one of the greatest foundations for excellence.

You Become What You Immerse Yourself In

When you truly love something, spending time with it doesn’t always feel like work.

A child who loves the ball will touch it thousands of times without anyone assigning those touches.

A child who loves watching soccer begins to see the game differently.

A child who constantly plays begins experimenting—trying moves, failing, adjusting, and trying again.

All of those seemingly insignificant moments accumulate. And the obsession becomes a lifestyle when coupled with discipline.

One touch becomes a thousand. One hour becomes hundreds. Curiosity becomes knowledge. Repetition becomes instinct. And over years, obsession cultivates excellence.

Don’t Take Shortcuts

Being obsessed doesn’t mean everything comes easily. In fact, the deeper you fall in love with something, the more you realize how much there is to master. You stop looking for shortcuts because you actually enjoy the process. You realize that shortcuts may hurt your game because you will not know all you could have learned and your opponent may know something you skipped.

You want another repetition. Another practice. Another game. Another opportunity to get better and master the game. You outdo and outplay your competition.

The goal isn’t simply to look talented.

The goal becomes understanding and mastering the game you love because you are talented.

Let Them Love It

As parents, we can expose our children to opportunities. We can find coaches, drive to practices, pay tournament fees, and encourage them through difficult seasons.

But we cannot manufacture obsession or reveal potential. That has to come from within. And when you see it developing, nurture it. Let them watch the game. Let them talk endlessly about the game. Let them study their favorite players. Let them play when nobody is keeping score. Let them become completely enamored with learning their craft. Because greatness rarely comes from doing something only when someone tells you to do it. It grows when you love something so much that you keep coming back to it again and again and again.

When the Fire Becomes Their Own

Parents cannot manufacture hunger for the game. At some point, the dream has to belong to the child. And when it does, our job begins to change. We don’t have to constantly push the athlete forward. Sometimes our job is simply to protect the space where their own fire can grow. Because the ultimate goal isn’t raising a child who works hard because Mom or Dad told them to. It is raising a young person who has discovered something much more powerful: I know what excellence requires—and I am willing to work for it.

So if you find the game that captures your heart:

Be obsessed with it.
Immerse yourself in it.
Learn everything you can about it.
Never stop playing it.

And give that obsession enough time to become excellence.