Complacency can be dangerous, confidence often necessary, it
is the balance somewhere in the middle that so many strive for. Certain sports
require a significant amount of bravado and show, look to boxing or sprint
athletics for ample examples. Can you imagine Usain Bolt with his headphones
on, eyes to the floor, walking subdued to the start line of the 100metre final?
The world record holder has earned the respect from his fellow competitors, he
has built up that aura that now surrounds him. For the younger less experienced
athletes part of their performance is convincing spectators (and sometimes
themselves) of their confidence.
The fine line before crossing over into complacency is a
tricky one to tread, over confidence can be dangerous in certain situations. This
was proven during one Paralympic athletics final when the two top ranked
athletes were overheard joking that the rest of the field would have to battle
it out for bronze - they both finished off the podium.
The fine line between confidence and complacency stretches
outside of the sporting arena. As I set off on a trek up through the
mountainous rainforest on the outskirts of Rio De Janeiro this balance was critical.
If a path in the UK is labelled as difficult that usually translates to uneven
terrain and a few hill climbs, in Brazil a rating of five out of five actually
deserves respect. I confidently set off into the jungle on a path that advised
a guide but did not insist on it. After an hour of tough physical assent over
tree routes, around granite boulders and through dense foliage I was still
confident of making it to the top. That was until I reached the rock face for
the final stage. Determined not to be beaten by this path with the assistance
of a friend we made it to the summit, I have the obligatory photo to prove it along
with several bruises and scratches.
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