Brandie Jay: The Land and Look and the Perfect 10
In gymnastics, the outcome is based on the approval of judges, so it leads gymnasts to value the opinion of others. They are taught to be perfectionists because there is a standard of a Perfect 10. To get the Perfect 10, you have to get a 10 from two judges. You are taught, from the time you start competing, to value the score that the judges give you. Hearing this was eye-opening to me. I didn't realize that gymnasts are trained to seek perfection out of each routine and to look for the approval of others. That approval isn't even fully based on the routine but based also in part on things that they can't control - like how somebody sees and values their body image, their appearance, and their technique. They are conditioned to put their value in the eyes and opinions of others. They even have the term 'Land and Look' which means that soon as they land, they look immediately to their coach for validation and approval for their performance....