Quote

"If you find yourself constantly trying to prove your worth to someone, you have already forgotten your value."

- Unknown

Real Life

Australian Olympian, Jemima Montag, is someone who seems deeply self-motivated. By the age of 15 she was winning races at state and national levels as a race-walker. She went on to have podium finishes at the Oceania Games and Maccabiah Games (Jewish Games), and then two golds at successive Commonwealth Games.

At the recent Paris Olympics, Montag was interviewed after just winning bronze and she talked about the importance of “wanting the medal but not needing it.” Montag said that its important that as athletes they didn’t slip into the mentality of needing the medal for self-worth, but rather choose to give it their best and go after it from a sense of desire rather than a need for value. It is clear that Montag is driven by her own sense of values rather than the expectations or fears of others.

The desire to achieve in sport can be prompted by many different factors. It may come from a love of the sport, or the excitement of the challenge. It may come from a need to impress others or to make up for a lack of self-worth or belonging that we feel. Wanting to succeed in sport is neither right or wrong, the key factor is where is that desire coming from. That is what Montag is alluding to when she talks about “wanting the medal but not needing it”.

The bible says we are children of God, loved by Him (1 John 3:1) and wonderfully created by Him (Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:14). Sport may be something we love and something we are good at, but we should never need it for our self-worth. As individuals created by a loving God, we have innate value and worth irrespective of how our sporting exploits are going. Knowing that enables us to be free of the pressure of proving our worth, and instead express our talents from a place of freedom.

Bible Verse

 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. 

1 John 3:1

Prayer

Thank You Lord that I can know I am loved and valued by You. Help me to play and compete in the knowledge that my self-worth does not depend on the result, my value is secure in you.

Author: Sarah Auld   |   Content Editor: Phil Pawley