Training for professional cheerleading tryouts or any other high-profile sports team is grueling work. Yet, all of the early mornings, late nights, and sacrifices instantly become worthwhile when you reach your goal. However, even the best-laid plans sometimes get derailed, and some never cross the finish line. During these times, most people ask: “Where did I go wrong?” Instead, you should ask, “What can I do differently next time?”
Similarly, failure often opens up possibilities you never thought imaginable. And sometimes, those opportunities are as simple as getting some help on your journey. GeNienne Samuels sees this situation unfold every day at Sideline Prep, a professional dance and cheer audition prep company. Among other training, Sideline Prep helps aspiring professional cheerleaders become more confident, prepared, and polished so they can achieve their dreams of dancing for a professional or semi-professional dance or cheer team.
Samuels’ pointed out that the first question makes it seem as though there’s something wrong with you. It frames the circumstance by making the outcome personal, but it may not be something that you did wrong. It could be that you need to do something better or different. The answer to this question is sometimes not apparent. You could have been 100% prepared and ready but didn’t get the outcome you hoped for because of circumstances out of your control.
The second question turns the focus to learning from the experience, not blaming yourself. The answer to this question is often more apparent, and the thick-skinned, motivated ones will recharge and lay a new course to success. They will reflect on how they could have given 110% instead or how they could have been even 1% better. A well-placed failure in the big picture of reaching their goals is more beneficial than harmful if they learned from it. Not attaining their goal forces them to step back and recalculate the steps necessary to achieve success, while recognizing that a failure is a setup for a comeback.
Sometimes, during this retrospection, people find they had a good plan and executed it well. However, if you can honestly tell yourself that you did all you could with the skills and training you received, then you must honor these achievements and chalk up the experience as successful in alternative ways. This crowd of people is precisely the group who effortlessly sees the next door opening as the last closes. They also realize that the outcome isn’t always personal. It may not be that they’re not good enough, maybe the competition was just a little better, or maybe right now is just not your time.
Undoubtedly, these people are winners by every definition of the word for their relentless drive to achieve and their mental strength, which affords them the power of self-validation. This strength helps them feel confident in their abilities to bounce back after failure. No matter the outcome of a situation, learning and growing from failure is a vital part of achieving your goals. As the saying goes, “No doesn’t mean never, it just means not right now.”
The training from a professional company, like Sideline Prep or other specialized trainers, is just one example of how athletes can move their competitive edge up a notch to help turn 100% preparation into 110%. Having a professional trainer or prep company in your corner fosters the right mindset for success and provides accountability on the journey towards reaching one’s goals. Plus, working with people who are already where you want to be will help you fast track your way to success.
Often, people don’t think they need professional help to achieve their dreams until they experience a setback. Unfortunately, these failures tend to wreck the confidence of even the most robust character. Professional coaches in all realms are trained to inspire and motivate. Once the confidence is rebuilt, most aspiring athletes do the rest of the hard work because they have faith in their abilities. But imagine if you never have to hit rock bottom, in order to reach the top? Samuels understands the importance of mental toughness and confidence, and quips, “It’s the cornerstone of Sideline Prep’s curriculum. After all, you could have the best plan with the best coaches, but if you don’t believe your dream is possible for you, you’re probably right.”
In the professional cheerleading arena, the coaches at Sideline Prep also know all of the intricate details of the business as they are professionals currently or retired from the industry. The women who sign on with their coaches come to SP because they know their reputation for success, and they know that they are a respected dance prep company with over a decade of experience. In all similar coaching situations, an excellent reputation and proven results are the gold standards. Therefore, anyone looking to hire a coach specializing in their specific needs should seek the best in the business to ensure maximum results. Do your research.
Failure is a fact of life, and sometimes not getting what you want is a better stepping stone to your dreams than actually achieving it. When failure motivates and challenges you to be better, it has become a valuable weapon in your arsenal. But don’t fool yourself into thinking you have to take your journey alone. Coaches everywhere will agree, when it comes to attaining professional athlete status you should consider hiring a coach or training company that can propel you to the next level.
Samuels left us with this piece of advice, “If you’ve tried to tough it out on your own and haven’t achieved the desired results, that’s a key that you’ve got to take different action. Most often, the difference between a failed attempt and a successful one is doing something different, and not stopping until it’s done. You’ve got this!”