CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE JAN/FEB 2020 ISSUE | Page 95

VALIDATION IS
SOMETHING SOUGHT
AFTER BY ALL ATHLETES
REGARDLESS OF THE
SPORT. IN
BODYBUILDING, EVERY
ATHLETE TRIES TO PROVE
THEIR WORTH WHETHER
IT IS:
--To impress your coach
--Make it to the first call-outs
--Show your fellow gym rats and
competitors you deserve to be on that
stage
--Demonstrate to your family and friends
that your sacrifices were worth it
You want that affirmation from others
around you that you are good at
competing in the bodybuilding industry.
You want to be recognized for your skills.
You want to prove to your coach and
sponsors you are worth investing in as
well as gain their approval to some extent.
You want to be validated and gain a sense
of worth as a bodybuilder.
WOW... that’s a lot of pressure!
And why does this search for
validation create pressure for many
bodybuilders?
The answer is that these types of
validation are attempts to gain
recognition from sources outside of
you:-
--Your coaches
--Your sponsors
--Your opponents
--Your parents
--Your friends
--Social media, etc.
The problem lies in that you cannot
control what others think about you.
Other people’s opinions could be
biased. And you should not focus on
what you think others think of you.
So, trying to gain approval or
validation from those outside
sources is a distraction and a source
of pressure. Trying to get something
outside your control creates tension
and anxiety. Nonetheless, when
some bodybuilders don’t get that
validation, the “validation trap”, they
over-try when they compete, which
causes performance levels to drop
off significantly.