 So why is it that some players can play well in training, but they can't put it together in games? After admitting my weaknesses and really increasing the quality and consistency of my training, I felt different. I was more skilled. I was faster, stronger, fitter. I was better in every way. I was a standout player in practices, but I still wasn't performing the way I knew I could in games. I realized that it all came back to mentality. If I looked at practices in games, I was the exact same player. I had the same amount of skill, same fitness, same level of experience. The only thing that was different was the way I was thinking. In practice, I was talking to myself confidently. I was excited to be there and show how much I had improved. I was focusing on everything that could go right. In matches, I was doing the opposite. I wasn't focusing on myself and what I could control. Instead, I was focusing on what other people would think of me if I didn't play well. I was visualizing, embarrassing myself, and making mistakes. I was focused on everything that could go wrong. Remember, mentality over ability. Once I brought awareness to this common mistake that all players make, things started to improve. I started performing in matches, scoring goals, and making a difference for my team. It felt amazing. My team finally valued me and looked towards me when we needed to win games. That's a feeling I want you to experience for yourself. Just a few other ideas that will help you play better in matches and not just in training. Multiply your match experience. You can train as much as you want, but there is no substitute for match experience. And the real truth is most players are not playing enough games. Maybe right now you have one game per week with your team. But what if you had three? How much more confident would you be handling yourself in real match situations? When I really wanted to change my game, I joined more teams. At one point I was playing in four different leagues, getting four or five games per week, and training by myself during the day. I was playing 7-7, futsal, outdoor, and even co-ed soccer for some fun. Anything I could do to get more match experience. You don't have to be that extreme. But starting to think about new ways you can start getting more match experience instead of just sitting around waiting for your next game is going to help you perform better. Next, I want you to realize that you have to be willing to make mistakes if you want to make a difference. You can't keep playing it safe because you're scared of giving the ball away. If you're trying to make a bigger impact on games, you're going to make mistakes. That's part of the process. But if you always hide from trying, you will never improve. Instead of being afraid of making mistakes, you should be afraid of regretting not trying to do more. You must be willing to play forward passes, dribble past defenders, and take shots. One more thing. I want you to put yourself in more high pressure situations when you play. For example, step up and take the penalty shot when everyone is watching. Because what's even more important than scoring that goal is the confidence you gain from putting yourself in a situation where you might fail. Even if you step up and miss, you will gain so much more confidence and experience compared to a player who is too afraid to step up because they might make a mistake or embarrass themselves in front of someone else. If you never miss the penalty shot in your exhibition match when you're 16, you never get to score the penalty shot in the championship final when you're 23. You need to have a bigger vision for yourself and realize that the mistakes you make now are going to serve you in the future when it really matters most. Even after you've built a strong mental foundation, your training is dialed in and you're starting to play well in matches, bad things are still going to happen. It's part of the game. It's part of soccer. After I hit top form, started playing well and my reputation was growing. It all happened again and it was because I made a massive mistake. I got cocky. Things were going so well. I let it go to my head. I started taking my foot off the gas. I wasn't as disciplined with my training. My daily habits became inconsistent and my form started to drop. My teammates and coaches started looking at me differently and to make everything worse, one day I came into a game without doing my normal warm-up and I pulled muscle in my leg. I was injured and I was back on the sideline. I was devastated. But once again, this situation was a result of my own actions. I was the problem and it was time for me to be the solution. This injury gave me a little time to rest and rejuvenate to rethink my game again. I used that setback as another opportunity to come back stronger, make new improvements to my game, learn from my mistakes and eventually come back better than ever. I openly admit my weaknesses and mistakes to you so hopefully you don't have to go through the same pains. No matter how good you become, keep getting better. When things are going well, that's the most important time to keep going. Do not get complacent. Sadly, I say this and I know some players may still have to go through losing everything before they can learn this lesson for themselves. But hopefully that's not you, learn from me. It's important to recognize that your losses, your injuries and setbacks can be the most valuable moments in your career. Getting cut from a team stuck on a bench, losing a championship final, these all might be the biggest motivation, the things that you need to really look at yourself and change what you're currently doing. Losers get discouraged by failure. They resort back to negativity. They feel depressed and sorry for themselves. Winners get motivated by failure. They use it as fuel for their fire. From now on, I challenge you to turn every setback into a comeback. Every time you get knocked down, you get up and you come back stronger. Use that frustration and pain. Use those negative emotions. Put them into your training. Channel that disappointment into your work ethic and hunger. Become so strong, nothing can stop you.