These thoughts are to help and inspire people like you and me to reach higher and strive for greater things, to stand for a cause more noble than self serving, seeing the good in others and seeking it for their sake. I unashamedly weave my faith, biblical insight and life experiences into a sporting context to illustrate my personal journey to this point - I hope in a small way, I can help you on your journey to being all you were intended to be....

There are now over 50 posts to check out, tweet, link to facebook or google+ Please feel free to share a link BUT If you use any of the illustrations please acknowledge the source as Phil Manchester, Bradford, England. You can follow me on twitter @philmanchester


Thursday 11 August 2011

Spatial Awareness

Isn't it funny watching young kids play a team sport for the first time?

Its classic "herd mentality" - everyone charging around the pitch in a mass of players.

As skill levels rise, one or two may move into space and yell at the herd for a pass or a throw - they stand out because they're the ones who can spot a gap or an opportunity.

The better someone becomes at a given sport, the more they become spatially aware:

* aware of what's going on around them,
* where team members are
* where the play is going next and
* where the gaps are

Another characteristics that grows alongside spatial aware is a sense of timing.

As a coach, one of the most difficult things to convince athletes at any level is "you always have more time than you think".

Awareness and timing are two key elements in developing excellence in anything - business, sport and of course in relationships too.

I've lost count of the times... this week... when the timing of something I've said or done has been at odds with what's really happening.

Sometimes we want to rush in where angels fear to tread, when taking time to reflect and become aware of God's presence can be more helpful to us.

The bible helpfully illustrates this in a man called Jacob. He was so caught up with his own issues that he abandoned awareness and timing. At one point he had to admit: "God was here and I didn't perceive it"

How aware are we that God is actually here, in our busy, often herd like lives?
Take the time to develop spiritual as well as spatial awareness - it can really help your sense of timing...

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