How to Continue Believing in Yourself When You Feel Like Your Race Is Over
Sergio Perez is an athlete in the most competitive sport in the world, Formula 1 racing. There are only 20 driver’s seats to fill, with each team having two drivers. You have a one in 20 chance of being a top tier athlete in this sport. And most of the drivers never touch a trophy or grace a podium.
After a decade in the sport and a stellar performance in the 2020 season, Sergio was let go by his team, Racing Point. Another driver who had a few world championships to his name was at the end of his contract. Racing Point wanted to have a decorated driver in one of their seats and quickly signed him.
Lance Stroll, the son of a billionaire who owns team Racing Point, occupied the teams other seat. Despite Sergio having a better season than Lance, being the son of the man dumping their wallet into the team usually helps with job security.
As Sergio suited up for Sakhir Grand Prix last year, he knew this was possibly his last race as a Formula 1 driver. His decade long career would potentially be ending in a few hours. In the first lap of the race Sergio went from 2nd place to 18th after getting hit by a fellow driver. Usually a death sentence to getting on the podium.
Through sheer determination, willpower and grit, on lap 64 Sergio took the lead and won the race. The first win of his entire career. He came from 18th place, dodging the course full of drivers in better cars with more wins to their name, to claim his well-deserved victory. He knew that in every race there’s always a winner, and if you’re still in it, there’s a chance it’s you.
Most drivers in Sergio’s position would’ve resigned to the fact that their race was dogshit from the start and there’s no way in hell they have a chance.
Sergio proved that mindset truly is the most powerful tool you have at your disposal.
You can be in a shittier, cheaper car, with no job prospects, and endure a minor crash… and still have a chance to win.
Your race isn’t finished until you cross the finish line and you must participate like you always have a chance to win.
Life is a giant Formula 1 race
Except we do not know when we’re going to cross the finish line and there’s no podium to grace.
I’ve been reflecting a lot on “my story”. The story of my life. We have the power to write every scene in our story. We can enter a new scene, we can exit one that we’re halfway through. We are creating our own narrative.
You always have the power to write your own story.
You’re always in the driver’s seat of your own race.
Even though Sergio was dead last, most other drivers who didn’t believe in themselves would’ve lost hope. Most other drivers would’ve called their race over, even though it wasn’t. They would’ve laughed at the thought of getting a podium. But Sergio didn’t, and it brought him to victory and got him a contract for the next racing season.
He went from not having a job and was facing the end of his career to getting seated at Red Bull Racing, one of the most dominant teams in the sport. By believing he had the chance to still win the race, he now has a chance to win the entire championship in 2021.
You determine where you are in the race. Your mindset is your largest navigation system through your life. Guiding you through every moment. Telling you when to speed up or when you need to pit stop and take a breather.
Until you cross the finish line and go to the big pizza pie in the sky, it ain’t over.
My boyfriend’s mom and I both love to read. She scanned a few books I have sitting on my shelf: self-improvement, personal development, finance, and real estate investing. She told me she refuses to read books that aren’t fiction because she’s too tired and “past that point” in her life. She only wants to read for enjoyment, not to learn.
Mind you, she’s 70 and still working a full-time job. The plan is for her to retire this year and she should read whatever she damn well pleases. She’s experienced both a ton of joy and heartbreak in her time. She’s been a caregiver her entire life. Opening up her home, heart and wallet to many members or her family and friends.
Now she’s finally at the precipice of freedom from her job and getting to spend her hours however she pleases. But sometimes it feels like in her head she’s already crossed the finish line, when she hasn’t yet. She may not even be close to crossing the finish line.
This has been one of the largest lessons I’ve learned this year. You have not crossed the finish line until you have. Do not give up on yourself, do not give up on your body or mind. You may be in the back of the pack, so what? Who cares?! Everyone loves a good longshot! And I’d bet on one every day. Just like I’d bet on myself every day, and I’d hope you’d do the same.
You’re still in the race. You write every scene of your story.
The “Last Time” Technique
Sergio imagined it would be his last race as a Formula 1 driver, which it very well could’ve been. He raced like it was the last chance he’ll ever get to be in a formula one racing car. The last time he’ll ever be under the lights of a racetrack. The last time he’ll ever be going almost 200 mph. The last time he’ll ever feel his competitive spirit this alive.
Sergio could’ve entered the race pissed off for being fired, despite having a better yearlong race record, but no billionaire dad. He could’ve thought “just my luck, of course I got hit in the first lap.” He could’ve resigned himself before the race even started.
The last time technique can be one of the most powerful tools for an instant mindset shift. You can go from down in the dumps to grateful in seconds. You can go from feeling like a complete and utter loser in your own race, to firing up your winning attitude.
There are days I get frustrated with writing. Pissed that the words aren’t coming out the way I hoped. Wishing I didn’t feel so burnt out and the ideas were coming more easily to me. Cursing writer’s block and then cursing myself for believing in writer’s block.
But if I take a moment to view this as the last time I’m sitting at my keyboard to write an article… tears instantly rush to my eyes.
Suddenly my heart shifts from pissed to… pouring out of me. I don’t want the article and my time writing it to end. If this is the last time I ever come to the page, I feel like I have so much more to say! I cherish the moment, rather than curse it. I don’t judge the words that do pour out; I hold a space of curiosity for them. They suddenly feel like a small home that invited me in. Rather than a dungeon that’s chained me to the floor. I can’t imagine this being the last time, but in doing so, my entire perspective shifted.
Take-Aways
What if this was the last time you ever go to do… (insert thing you love here).
You have a say in how every single scene in your life is written, or at least your response or reaction to the events happening.
Even if you’re a longshot, never give up on running your race. Never count yourself out, even if everyone else already has.
Whether you feel like a winner or loser in your own race is up to you.
Your mindset is your most powerful navigation tool through your life.
You’re in the race until you cross the finish line.
Maddie is a writer, voice-over artist and certified life coach. Self-declared boxed wine aficionado.