The footballer Lamine Yamal He became world champion with the Spanish National Team and, at just 19 years old, he continues to break records.
However, the success at such a young age It can also take an emotional toll. This is stated by psychologist Lara Ferreiro, in the Colombian media Semana.
According to the specialist, some young athletes may feel pressure when success stops being just a personal achievement and begins to occupy a central place in the expectations of the entire family.
The risk of turning success into an obligation and sporting achievements into a family project
Ferreiro maintains that, often unconsciously, some parents project onto their children dreams, goals or expectations that they could not fulfill.
Although this attitude often stems from a desire for your children to do better, it can also create pressure that is difficult to handle.
The specialist explains that this phenomenon gives rise to the so-called «mandate of success»a silent pressure that can make «the young person feel that his value depends solely on not failing.»
«The father of Lamine Yamal «can unconsciously generate a mandate for success,» he exemplifies. And he warns that the greatest risk is that the young person comes to believe that only success is worth it.
According to Ferreiro, this pressure can mean that, when the results are not as expected, the sportsman have more difficulty coping with frustration.
In some cases, he adds, the child stops being seen only as a person with his or her own needs and begins to become a family project.
The psychologist also relates this scenario to the concept of «vicarious» identity, a psychological phenomenon through which a person appropriates the successes, stories or experiences of others.
«The success of the child can become a source of self-esteem, social recognition and even meaning in life for the entire family,» he explains. This context can increase the emotional burden that the athlete endures.
«Young people who perceive very high family expectations have higher levels of anxiety, perfectionism and fear of failure,» he points out.
Furthermore, Ferreiro mentions the phenomenon of «trophy son», which refers to those young people whose talent or success ends up becoming a symbol of pride and status for the family.
Of course, achievements deserve to be celebrated and family support is essential in the career of any athlete.
However, «when the minor’s success begins to occupy an excessively important place in the family identity and the young person perceives that his main function is to continue shining, standing out or responding to the expectations that have been created around him.»
For the specialist, the great Lamine Yamal challenge It will be to prevent success from becoming the only way to feel valued and loved by those around you.
