Once upon a time, there was a young chess player named Max who was feeling nervous about his upcoming match against a higher rated opponent. He had heard that this opponent was very skilled and experienced, and Max wasn’t sure if he was ready to face such a formidable opponent.
One day, Max went to his coach for some advice. The coach listened to Max’s concerns and then had a unique suggestion.
“Max, I want you to imagine your opponent as a cat,” the coach said. “And imagine yourself as a lion. Lions are the kings of the jungle, and they have nothing to fear from cats.”
Max was a bit skeptical, but he decided to give it a try. He closed his eyes and visualized himself as a powerful lion, staring down his opponent who was now just a small, harmless cat.
The day of the match arrived, and Max stepped onto the chessboard, feeling confident and strong. As he looked across the board, he saw his opponent, but instead of feeling intimidated, he remembered his coach’s words.
The match began, and Max played with determination and focus. He felt no fear as he calculated each move, because he was the lion, and his opponent was just a cat. Max’s concentration and self-belief helped him to stay focused and in control throughout the game.
As the match progressed, Max began to realize that his opponent was not as powerful as he had feared. The other player’s rating no longer intimidated him, because he was the lion and he had nothing to fear. Max went on to win the match, and he felt proud of himself for overcoming his fear and for trusting in his own abilities.
From that day on, Max approached each match with confidence and self-belief. He continued to visualize himself as the lion and his opponents as cats, and this visualization helped him to overcome any fear or nerves that he may have felt. Max became a successful chess player, and he was always grateful to his coach for teaching him such a valuable lesson.
