Just wanted to thank God for continuing to bless and keep me sane through this process.
Lately, I have been big on work ethic. Without it, your
dreams will only stay wishes. That relentless work ethic will move the
atmosphere once you commit.
Today, I want to talk a little bit about the common perception
of athletes. Being associated with athletics, "the common people", the non athletes of
the world, tend to group us all together as if we’re all the same. “Oh, he’s an
athlete.” Or, “He’s just a football
player.” These may seem like harmless
phrases that I have heard all too many times. However, from my experiences,
people don’t say things like this as a compliment.
I don’t know why but people take all of the negative things associated
with some athletes and stereotype the entire group. Before coming to college, I
didn’t recognize all of these small perceptions about athletes. Being on a
college campus, you are mixed in with so many different types of people. Artists, nerds, future scientists, teachers,
businessmen and women. As athletes, we stand out on a campus. The way we carry ourselves. So when you sit
down in class, you’re noticed. My usual
going-to-class outfit is basketball shorts, gym shoes, and a team hoodie. Non-athletes
would come to class in button-down shirts, ties, dress slacks, a nice pair of shoes.
For the longest time, I just said they dressed weird and continued my dressing
pattern.
As I went through my
first few semesters, I couldn’t understand why I got different grades from the
other kids in the class. I wouldn’t often speak up during class, but instead just
sat as the kid in the back. When I would answer questions, the class would look
at me funny. The professor would treat me like that child that needed just a
little extra help during class. I wasn’t
used to this. In high school everybody, I thought, was treated equally. Everybody was given the same chance at being
considered intelligent.
It
was not until I started to change my campus reputation, my appearance, my
energy towards everyone else, that I fully understood the perception
situation. I
linked up with a good friend who schooled me to the irony that, yeah, even
though they say looks can be deceiving, “perception is reality.” I started wearing dress clothes to
class. I began to interact with the
professor during and outside of class. I would go visit the professor after class,
ask little questions about the upcoming homework, even if I didn’t care. Made friends with my classmates. The
perception of me now was the kid that comes to class ready to learn, energetic,
prepared, and always dresses nice. People begin to listen to my statements as
if they were groundbreaking information. Professors became open-minded to my unique
views on our class topics.
I experienced this change over time. I was a little disturbed by it at first. Having a perception of me before you take the
time to get to know me? Simply because of my affiliation with athletics?. I
realized this perception could take away from my academic learning environment.
Hurt people’s willingness to help me on campus.
But once I made a few character changes, I began to see my world change
a bit. The world around me began to be receptive of me as a person. My
intelligence level did not rise at all. I was not this new, great guy. I still was still an athlete. I just separated myself from the typical
“athlete.” The expected.
After my friend schooled me to this principle of perception
is reality, I began applying these principles to other aspects of my life. The same
process happened. People won’t recognize your beauty unless you separate
yourself. Give yourself a chance to be
heard. Make your intentions and people’s perception of you the same. The world
has a way of getting out of your way when you use the perception in your favor.
I’ll continue to speak about the power of being an individual. That one choice to be myself and live free
from the world and its norms changed my life. One of my favorite things about
myself.
I hope this gives a little insight about the kind of
perception people have about athletes. Hopefully you can begin to control others’
perception of you.
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