One trial.One match.Done.He came home devastated.This is a kid who trains three times a week.Who lives and breathes football.Who was on the squad at his last school.But his new school is bigger.The competition is tougher.One chance. And he didn't make it.I watched him sit with his disappointment.And honestly?I was glad he was upset.Because it meant …
One trial.
One match.
Done.
He came home devastated.
This is a kid who trains three times a week.
Who lives and breathes football.
Who was on the squad at his last school.
But his new school is bigger.
The competition is tougher.
One chance. And he didn’t make it.
I watched him sit with his disappointment.
And honestly?
I was glad he was upset.
Because it meant he cared.
So I did two things.
First, I sent an email to the teacher.
I said I understood their decision.
But could he please be given another chance?
I didn’t know if they’d say yes.
But that wasn’t the point.
The point was showing my son:
When something matters to you, use your voice.
Don’t sit back.
Don’t shrink.
Don’t assume the answer is no.
Ask.
Care.
Speak up.
How many of us learned the opposite?
How many times have you NOT asked for the opportunity,
the raise,
the support—because you assumed they’d say no?
I wanted my son to learn early:
Your voice matters.
Use it.
Second, I taught him something I’ve been practicing.
I’m doing deep work on becoming the woman I want to be.
And one of the most powerful tools?
Imagination.
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between what you vividly imagine and what you actually experience.
So I told my son:
“Every day for the next week, set a timer for 7 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Picture yourself scoring a goal.
See it.
Feel it.
Make it real.”
He did it every single day.
The teacher agreed to let him play in a friendly match.
And guess what happened?
He scored two goals.
When I picked him up, he was beaming.
“Mummy,” he said, “it was the EXACT goal I pictured in my mind.”
I had tears in my eyes.
Not just because I was proud.
But because of what he learned at 9 years old:
Your voice has power. Use it!
Your mind is a tool. Train it!
And here’s what hit me:
How many of us spend 7 minutes a day imagining the WORST?
Replaying the awkward conversation.
Rehearsing how the meeting could go wrong.
Picturing ourselves failing before we start.
We’re using our imagination.
But we’re using it against ourselves.
What if we redirected it?
What if, before that presentation, you spent 7 minutes seeing yourself commanding the room?
What if you pictured yourself calm, clear, and confident?
What if you trained your brain to imagine your success as vividly as you imagine your failure?
I’m waiting to find out if he’s made the team.
It doesn’t matter if he does or not.
He learned two lessons that will serve him for life:
Speak up for what you want.
Direct your mind, or it will direct you.
Honestly? I’m still learning those lessons myself.
💭 What would you visualise if you gave yourself 7 minutes a day to imagine your success?
