Soccer is all about balance. What I mean when I say balance is the understanding that every situation requires you to find what does and doesn’t work for you. I’ll give you an example. For me, I hated rigorous warm-ups. A lot of trainers want you to sweat and get after it, so you’re ready for the game. For me, I tried that, and I tired within the first 30 minutes of the game. The lesson of the story is you have to find the balance. The next game I started, I made sure to find the balance in my warm up so I could perform at my best. Today I’ll give you my tips on how to find balance in the game.

1. Figure out what motivates you about soccer

A lot of times, players aren't sure what motivates them. Sure, they love the game, and it brings them joy, but they don't know what motivates them to be the best player they can be. For me, my motivation was always to compete and to cross off things on my list of goals. That was enough for me to go out to every practice and game, and give it my all. Everyone out there needs to find theirs why. Once you find that way, it will make things clearer which ultimately helps in achieving your goals.

2. Figure out your level of seriousness

Soccer is fun, and you should enjoy it, but not at the expense of being a professional and taking the game seriously. Too many times players don't know how to balance this, and because they don't, their game suffers. If you're going to do something big in the sport, be ready to be a professional and work through difficult times. If not, understand where you're at a player and keep those expectations, because your actions aren't aligning to wanting more from the game because you can't find yourself being serious about the game. 

3. Test your training and game habits

Soccer is about self-awareness and understanding where you're as a player. If you think you're good and the reality is you need a lot of work, you'll waste a lot of time focusing on the wrong things. Ask yourself the tough questions and don't be afraid to find out the truth. 

4. Reflect/Change

You've tested the waters and have found out you have a lot you need to get better at. This is an excellent time to reflect on your actions and your game as a player. Take some time, but don't dwell on the past; what has happened can't be changed. But, what can change is your attitude and your approach going forward, remember that!

5. Action

Now it is time to go out and test your newfound insight and self-reflection. Continue to see what works and what doesn't. Continue to tweak your process until you're happy with the results, and even then, continue to want to grow and improve