Set 

Ask a coach or athlete about the source of their motivation and you’ll probably hear responses such as:

“My motivation is my family.”

“I play for the respect of my teammates and coaches.”

“I want to become a professional and earn lots of money.”

You might even hear that they are motivated by the fear of failure. Competitors can be so engulfed in their sport, the idea of losing and underperforming drives them to never give up. Coaches, athletes and parents also place an enormous amount of pressure on competitors to be great. Set by the standards of the sports industry, success is often in our minds. 

But all of this is missing something: An even greater motivation. What about God? 

As Christian coaches and athletes, we must always be mindful that we are in this world, but we are not of this world. Our biblical worldview should start with a mindset that reminds us we’re not here to serve man or gain worldly possessions. Everything we do, including competing in our sports, is to serve God and share the Gospel of Jesus with others through our performance. This purpose is the ultimate motivator for why we play.

We are in close, everyday proximity with teammates and fellow staff who may have never heard about Jesus. What if we were motivated to share Him as often as we can? Imagine how their lives would change if they knew they have the right to be called children of God.

Consider this: Most athletes hang out with other athletes. They build friendships with peers as they grow up together, play on the same teams and genuinely want to see each other succeed. 

Remember when you first received salvation? Do you recall how excited you were? You probably wanted the whole world to know that same salvation. You were motivated and encouraged that if Jesus could save you, surely, He could save your friends too. 

That’s the greater motivation that should drive us in our performance.

Romans 8:5 tells us that those who live by the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit are motivated by the Spirit of God. As we shift our perspective to expand from competing for success or approval to leading those around us to the Lord, it makes an incredible impact. When we operate from our identity as God’s son or daughter, the way we see the world changes.

Perform with Heaven in mind. You’re competing for the transformation of lives. Your actions are speaking louder than the scoreboard or stats you achieve. Imagine if just one coach or athlete came to know Christ because of your testimony and how you played for a godly purpose. Now that is a greater motivation.