Personality is the platform with which we project ourselves into the arena of life. It's our means to reading each other. It's our public persona. Without other people to react to and to react to us, we would have no meaningful identity and without that, personality is a meaningless concept.
In all likelihood emotional stability, is shaped early on in life. If we come from a family with a history of emotional volatility or mental instability or just plain high anxiety and nervousness, then as children we may inherit a disposition for these types of problems, although they may not actually play themselves out.
In the world of competitive ball-sports, physical skills and basic coordination are a given. But with the complex and quick changing contexts, success also depends on how information is processed as the brain sees, interprets, processes and responds to information - before it becomes conscious thought. And making split-second decisions quickly and accurately draws on a variety of cognitive skills and abilities.
How important is being happy? You know the answer. And how important is it for the harmony and effectiveness of fellow athletes or your team? You know that answer too.
Top athletes almost always show high levels of self-esteem and competence. They commit themselves to tough and challenging goals which when achieved, leave them with a strong sense of accomplishment. Not so for Pippa who, as we shall see, set herself different goals for a very different kind of sport!
