The most important thing I learned from a "mentor" has been responsible for keeping me "in the game" MANY times, over the years. It is simply this:
Don't look for your validation as an official from players, coaches or fans. Despite what you may think from time to time, they are not now nor will they EVER be your friends. Do your job and earn the respect of your fellow officials. Theirs is the ONLY validation worth a damn.
I didn't enclose the above in quotes because I don't remember my friend's exact words, but that was certainly the gist of them.
At times we tend to accept the cheery "Good game, Blue" and use it as input for our job satisfaction meter. Doing that can lead to BIG problems when we get the alternative response of "You suck, Blue". Turn off hearing anything about your performance except the input from your fellow officials. Everything else will eventually wind up being counterproductive to continuing in the vocation.
Remember, most of the time at least HALF of the participants are going to think you suck anyway, simply because they lost. Relying on a vote of confidence from the remaining half, in order to feel good about the job you've done, puts you behind in the count from the very beginning.
Cheers,
Warren Willson
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Warren Willson
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