You question yourself all the time as a footballer. You have to

Hear the voice of Eden Hazard, who confessed with the honesty of a warrior on the field: “You question yourself all the time as a footballer. You have to focus on the positives.” These words are not merely about sport, but about the struggle of all who strive, all who chase excellence beneath the eyes of the world. For doubt is the shadow that walks with ambition. The greater the stage, the louder the questions in the mind: Am I enough? Am I strong enough? Will I fail? Hazard’s wisdom is to remind us that though the questions never cease, the only way to endure is to fix the gaze upon the positives, upon the light that still shines amidst the storm.

The meaning of his words lies in the nature of human striving. To be a footballer, or any competitor, is to live daily with scrutiny—your mistakes magnified, your triumphs fleeting, your body and spirit tested beyond measure. To question yourself is natural, for it is born of the desire to improve. Yet if one drowns in self-doubt, the fire of purpose dies. Hazard tells us the secret of endurance: not to deny the questions, but to master them, to counterbalance their weight with the memory of what has been achieved, the skills that have been forged, the victories already won. To focus on the positives is to feed the flame of confidence that keeps the warrior moving forward.

History offers us examples of this eternal battle of doubt and triumph. Think of Michael Jordan, who was once cut from his high school basketball team. In that moment, he could have surrendered to despair, questioning his worth and letting the shadow of rejection define him. But instead, he focused on his potential, his hunger, his positives—and from that foundation built a career that made him the greatest of his generation. His story mirrors Hazard’s truth: greatness comes not from the absence of doubt, but from the strength to rise above it.

The origin of Hazard’s words comes from his own career at the highest levels of football, where praise and criticism fell upon him in equal measure. Injuries, expectations, and comparisons weighed upon him, as they do upon all who stand in the arena. In speaking so plainly, he revealed not weakness, but a universal truth: even the most celebrated must wrestle with doubt. What separates those who endure is their ability to remember their light when darkness presses close.

Let us also see the broader wisdom here: life itself is a field of play where every soul must contend with questions. The worker wonders if their labor has meaning; the parent wonders if they are enough for their children; the artist wonders if their creation will endure. To question oneself is part of the human condition. But like the footballer, we must not dwell forever in uncertainty. We must, each of us, focus on the positives—the lives we have touched, the strength we have gained, the victories both small and great that prove we can continue.

The lesson is clear: embrace the questions, but do not be enslaved by them. Use doubt as a teacher, not a tyrant. When the voice of failure whispers, answer with the memory of your successes. When despair weighs heavily, count the blessings that still shine. Let gratitude be your shield, and let focus on the good be your sword. For the one who trains the mind to see the light will find the strength to push forward, even in the face of relentless trial.

So I say unto you: take Hazard’s wisdom as your own. You will question yourself all the time, but focus on the positives. Let your heart not be consumed by the fear of falling, but be nourished by the joy of having risen again and again. For victory belongs not only to the one who never doubts, but to the one who learns to carry doubt lightly, and still moves forward with courage. This is the way of champions, and this is the way of all who would live with strength and honor.