They can’t build self-confidence if they never have time to find themselves.
“Structure is important for kids.
But you can over structure them to a fault.
They have very little time to be their authentic selves today because from the time they wake up to bed time, they are either being taught to conform or told what to do.
A little let off goes a long way.”
-Ray Zingler
They wake up, eat garbage (if anything), rush out the door, sit down in a chair and then stand up every hour to go sit in another chair, go to their next obligation, whether it be sport, music, club, or practice, and then they get home and have to do chores (homework) after sitting in school all day.
And then when they do get a second of spare time, do you know what they’re doing?
They’re comparing themselves to other people’s highlight reels on the internet and engaging in trivial drama.
Then they go to bed only to wake up the next day and repeat it again.
While I am all for structure and discipline (they make up the fabric of my life) understanding that kids especially, need let off is critically important to their well-being.
It’s how they find themselves, become creative, mitigate stress, and most importantly, build their self-confidence.
You can’t be self-confident if you don’t know who you truly are because you’re being dictated by outside forces everyday.
This is why at Zingler Strength, I am ADAMANT about letting kids be kids.
Raw, real kids. Music thumping, no telling them what to wear, what to say, or not to say. We pride ourselves on a purely organic environment.
Of course we have structure, of course we have a plan, of course we don’t tolerate bullying or the mistreatment of others and what we offer is some of the best youth training you could ever possibly find in the world.
But you know what’s better than the training?
The raw environment the kids are thriving in.
The environment where we intentionally have them turn off mentally & emotionally, yet still accomplish great things.
It’s called the law of indirect effort.
And this is why so many kids succeed & thrive in our program.
I know afterwards, they are going to go practice, where often a superficial coach is only going to care about their sporting abilities, and then they are going to get harped on in the car.
After siting in school all day being told what to memorize… OR ELSE.
I’d be insane not to give them a chance to be them.
And that’s why I’ll always do it.
