Goalkeeper’s Privileges & Responsibilities
On the
soccer field, a Goalkeeper enjoys certain additional privileges when compared
to other players. Inside the penalty box, a Goalie can touch or hold the ball
with his hands and can pass the ball to his teammates by kicking or throwing.
Also, when a Goalie has control of the ball, an opposing player may not touch
it or try to kick it. This makes the Goalie a special player but there is a
saying "With great power comes great responsibility". There may
be special rules for the Goalkeeper but he also has this huge responsibility of
preventing the opposing team from scoring a goal. The mistakes made by other
players on the field are most often forgotten. But when a Goalie makes a
mistake then it is neither forgotten nor forgiven. The most difficult part of
being a Goalkeeper is "No matter how many saves you make; people
judge you based on that one mistake". Even if a Goalie is not to be
totally blamed for a mistake that resulted in a goal, he may still have to
humbly accept it.
The Humongous Expectations
The expectations from a Goalkeeper are always sky high. This can be
considered as an advantage as well as a disadvantage and is something that can
be associated with our lives. People around us have a lot of expectations from
us be it our parents, teachers, relatives, colleagues, manager at the workplace
etc. Humongous expectations are set upon most of us right from our childhood.
If you are one of the brightest kid in school then you are burdened with the expectation of doing well in your academics by your family members as well as
staffs as they believe your success will earn them a good reputation, or in
some cases, such expectations are set because the family members see you as
someone who could solve their financial problems by getting into a high paying
job which can be achieved through good grades. Keeping these in mind both
parents and teachers often tend to give you more attention.
At the workplace, if you are the brightest employee in your team then
you are burdened with bigger responsibilities when it comes to work-related
tasks. You may receive a promotion because of your proficiency which will
enable you to enjoy certain additional privileges when compared to your
teammates such as having a private cabin, work from home option etc, but you
will always be the first person to be blamed when something goes wrong. Be it
in academics or professional life, no matter how many times you achieve
success, you will always be judged based on that one mistake or failure.
A Different Perspective
One of the most difficult things in life is trying to live up to the
expectations set upon us by others. "I have additional privileges but I have a big responsibility", this indicates a negative mindset. A positive mindset
would be "I have a big
responsibility but I have additional privileges". A simple rearranging of words,
i.e., a small change in our outlook can have a big positive impact. A bright
student may feel the pressure of topping in exams but he also needs to remember
that he was given extra care and attention when compared to other kids. A
proficient employee may feel the pressure of being isolated and questioned when
a work task fails but he needs to remember that because of his proficiency he
was promoted and given certain benefits which other employees didn’t receive. A
Goalkeeper may feel the pressure of being blamed when his team loses but he
needs to remember that unlike other players there are special rules for him
inside the penalty box providing him with some additional benefits.
Focus on the Next Step
An individual is isolated, questioned, blamed and held responsible only
when he is in a powerful position, a position from which he can bring about a
desired positive change. If we are in such a position, we ought to feel proud
about it without worrying about its consequences. You may be heavily criticized
when you fail, but instead of feeling dejected just shift your focus to the
next task. If you succeed in it then people will automatically forget your
previous failure. When a Goalkeeper misses a goal and if the team loses due to
it then the Goalie is torn apart. But when the same Goalie saves goals in the
next match leading his team to victory then people will definitely forget his
previous performance and shower praises on this one. Be it in sports or any
other field, it has been rightly said: "No matter how good you are, you will always be remembered by your last performance".
AUTHOR MAIL - vinod.balan883@gmail.com
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