The Liverpool forward almost marked his first competitive start for his country with a rasping drive early in the first half of the 2-1 defeat to Italy, but it hit the side-netting with Salvatore Sirigu well-beaten.
And with a vital game against Uruguay coming up in Sao Paulo on Thursday, he says he'll do anything for his team as they aim to get their first points on the board.
Uruguay v England
2014 FIFA World Cup
Group D
8pm BST, Thursday 19 June
Arena Corinthians, Sao Paulo
ITV and 5 Live
"The Italy game was a big occasion. I tried to think of it as just another game and give it my best shot," said Sterling.
"I tried to work hard for the team and help not just in the attacking bits but in defence as well.
"It was a difficult one for me because they had about three players around me every time, we tried our best but it wasn’t good enough at the end of the day.
He continued: "Before the game my mum just told me to relax, not put too much pressure on myself, not beat myself up - that is what I do.
"Afterwards she dropped me a text and knew I wouldn’t have replied until the next day because we lost the game. She told me to get over it as quickly as possible and move onto the next one.
"She said to try to not just make the family proud, but make everyone in the country proud. She can be tough on me - she has also said I don’t put the ball into the back of the net enough."
Sterling juggles on the beach at their Urca training ground
As well as his mum, Sterling also has received guidance from England's more experienced heads, while boss Roy Hodgson has allowed the former QPR youth teamer to express himself on the pitch.
It was back in November 2012 that he made his first appearance for the Three Lions, but didn't feature again until the victory over Denmark in March this year.
He's now chalked up five appearances but says he is still developing all of the time.
"I’m young, I’m learning and I’m taking every day as it goes, but I’ve got a lot to learn and grow up. I have people around me guiding me in the right way.
"As I was growing up, I knew a lot about the players. I watched Wayne, Frank, Stevie and they are players I look up to. It is a real honour to be alongside players like this who have done so much for their club and country."
He added: "The manager just tries to take the pressure off you so that you can express yourself, which is the most important thing as a young player.
"He wants you to show what you can do on the ball. I’m just learning and trying to be fearless in my approach to games and trying not to think about the opposition too much. I just try to think about me and my team.”
Raheem Sterling and Frank Lampard spoke to the press on Tuesday
Sterling and the rest of the squad leave Rio on a short flight to Sao Paulo for Thursday's huge encounter with the Uruguayans.
The South Americans, who will be expected to field Sterling's Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez in attack, also lost their first game in Brazil, but he believes they will be well-prepared by the time the game gets under way.
"We have been looking at them, but we don’t want to give too much away," said Sterling.
"We are trying to find ways in which we can really hurt them and I think the manager has been preparing really well for this game.
"We will go out on Thursday and do our best."
