What annoys you?

‘What annoys you?’

I was recently asked this simple yet frustratingly broad question. I’m seldom left speechless, but on this occasion I was stumped for an adequate answer. Loads of things get to me. When people walk slowly in front of you, when you spill something on an outfit that took you an hour to decide on. Leaving your phone to charge, to then realise you never switched it on. Countless little things. But what genuinely annoys me when it comes down to it?

After some thought, I came up with a few ideas. The first thing that really annoys me is ‘toxic’ people. These individuals have many characteristics, negative and ungrateful being pretty high on the list. They usually take the successes they achieve for granted and will hunt down someone to blame for failure like a greyhound.

Everyone had a first coach who taught them the pillars that hold up their sport a long with the ability and opportunities to acquire individualistic styles and knacks. They stuck around through all the mess ups and ‘failures’. They had your back through it all. Before the the fame, the medals, the popularity. Your first coach was there for you before it all. I hate to see these people forgotten, because without them, they may not have been in the same position. It exposes their current priorities. Successful people put in endless hours of hard work, persistence and time into their field. In no way am I denying that, but very few people will ever be successful without the help of those from others. I think it’s when you begin to forget that, you have to take a quick look in the mirror.

These people also like to replace normal conversation with complaints and moans. I’ll be the first to admit, if we are doing anything on the track over a lap I may have a whinge or two. But, I’ll always get the job done. What annoys me is people who literally speak a language of moans and grumbles. They affect the whole group around them and that’s the last thing anyone needs when the going gets tough.

Secondly, is not doing myself justice. In essence I mean ‘messing up’. But, specifically not performing or doing what I know I’m capable of doing. For instance, races where you know you could have done better but one slight misjudgement or mistake and your chance was gone. To everyone else, they just see a slower time or finishing position. But you know deep down just a slight change and the end result would have been much more satisfying. It would have proven to everyone the ‘real you’. How you really should be seen. People say ‘Well, that’s just sport, it’s about who performs on the day’ I also get that. So it is. I’m sure I’ve been pleased to win a race whilst someone else is wallowing. We’ve all been there. But it’s one of the things that really gets to me. I can cope if I lose, but I worked to the best of my ability. I can cope if I raced as well as I could, my opposition was just better on the day. But, swallowing the pill of ‘You just made a stupid mistake’ is a pretty tough one.

On the flip side, I thought about what will guarantee to make me happy? This one was slightly easier to think about. Speaking to someone who offers perspective on tough situations, I’ve learnt will always help me from a hole. I’ll be the first to admit I can be pretty stubborn, I tend to make drastic conclusions on matters and have been known to be quite the hypochondriac. As much I like to be positive, I also tend to fear the worst case scenario. Someone who offers perspective shines a light at the end of a tunnel, I often didn’t know existed. For example, being ill is something no athlete enjoys. It seems to put everything on halt, when all you want to do is keep moving forward. But someone showed me that, the situation actually gave me something. Time. Time to learn about racing, tactics and dynamics. Time to learn my way around. And time to know who everyone was. Needless to say I would have wanted to have been training. But looking on the bright side, I got something from it. I think this is also one of the biggest things coaches can offer athletes, or in fact anyone can offer their peers. Sometimes, you forget about the bigger picture because you are so focused and fixated on there only being one option. Though speaking from previous experience – half the time you are completely wrong. ‘Listening to your gut’ and ‘Sticking to your guns’ will always be beneficial at times. But so can having good conversations with the right people.

Lastly, what will undoubtedly. Without question, always make me happier- in any situation. Is being with my dog. Bugsy Tanner RM (Royal Marines). Maybe a few family members too- along with an iced latte and oreos. I’d genuinely become a completely a new woman. So, if you see me looking blue, you now all know what to do. Bring me my dog…