Mindset of an Athlete
What is the mindset of an athlete? How do they think? How do they approach each day? What attitude does an athlete have to succeed?
Those of us who haven't become elite athletes usually only understand the mindset of an athlete from what we see in movies; the scrappy underdog digging deep and drawing all of their fierce determination to take down the arrogant front-runner in the final seconds; the athlete who, despite all odds, believes in themselves so much that nothing can stop them. The lovable athlete who was never focused on winning, but won anyway because they had heart.
It's easy to look at movies and think that we can never develop a mindset like this. That we don't have enough determination to draw on, or plucky self-determination, or belief in ourselves. We may get down on ourselves and assume that we can never understand what it is like to be the best or reach our dreams because we can't harness these powers. We walk away from our dreams thinking that we simply aren't good enough.
The fact is, anyone can develop the mindset of an athlete. In reality, athletes don't win because they had more heart than the other competitors. All of the competitors want to win just as badly. Athletes don't win because they believed in themselves more than anyone else, or because they had the right amount of spark. Athletes win because of their attitudes - their mindset. And by understanding a few key aspects of the athlete mindset, you can win, too.
Three keys to the mindset of an athlete:
Aggression
It may sound odd to encourage developing aggression, but aggression isn't always bad. In this case, aggression refers to the determination, grit, and focus to take risks, advocate for themselves, and work to get what they want. Jim Taylor, PhD., states that aggressive mindsets allow athletes to take their performance to the next level. By developing an aggressive mindset, you stop allowing things to happen to you and start asserting yourself. You take more risks, develop greater confidence, and fight to get what you want.
To develop this, start with your body. Pump up your body. Increase your heart rate, move your muscles. Find a mantra that gets you going. "I am the best," "You've got no chance." "I'm winning this #&*@#!" Shout it out. Be loud and bold. Get your body primed to win.
It's also important to develop your confidence. Remind yourself to seek out excellence, not perfection. Let go of anxiety that you will fail. Focus on what you can gain. You may win or lose, but you'll never win if you don't try.
Positive Realism
Positivity has several mental health benefits and can increase your overall sense of wellbeing. But it is important to be realistic when being positive. We often make positive statements that are not realistic. (Imagine the person who has never run a race stating that they aim to qualify for the Boston Marathon this year). In the moment, these statements feel great, but over time they can cost us a lot.
The fact is, a goal without a plan is just a dream. When we engage in mindless positivity, we are stating dreams. If your dream is to qualify for the Boston Marathon, you have to do more than declare it. You have to work, hard. You have to have the time for 20 mile runs. You have to compete in qualifying events. There's a lot that goes into qualifying for the Boston Marathon (or making an Olympic team, or owning a billion-dollar tech company, or running for president) and many of those things may be totally unrealistic for you.
Elite athletes know that they have to focus on the positives, but also be realistic. If they aren't currently able to reach Olympic-level speed, they don't say, "don't focus on that. Focus on the gold medal." They absolutely focus on their current speed. They know that they can't win a medal just by wanting it, so they focus on their current speed and their next goal - to go a little faster, to get more experience. Sure, the successful athletes know they want to be the best in the world, but they don't focus on the moment they win the gold - they focus on right now. Because right now is realistic.
Developing positive realism starts with understanding SMART goals. If you have a lofty goal, break it down into smaller, manageable, and realistic goals. Stay positive, but stay realistic. Do what you can do today.
Mindfulness
Successful athletes are able to control their ability to focus, something called, “mindfulness.” Mindfulness simply means that you are focused on the present moment and aware of what you are thinking and feeling, without judgment. Mindfulness is a skill that must be developed. Very few of us are born with the ability to focus entirely on the present moment without judgment. But this skill is necessary for successful athletes. It is impossible to tune out the pressure, the fans, the lights, the opponents, and the fact that you're moments away from living your dream without having developed very strong mindfulness skills.
Mindfulness is usually associated with meditation, but it can also be practiced in other ways. If you want to develop mindfulness, start small. Focus on the present moment for just a minute or two. Notice the colors of the things around you. Notice your breath. Notice how your body feels. When you find your mind wandering into thought, just stop, and return to focusing on the present.
The brain is designed to think, solve problems, and look out for danger. Therefore, it is difficult to keep your brain focused on the present moment and not on distractions. Developing this skill is difficult, but you can do it. It gets easier. And the ability to focus mindfully on the present moment without being distracted by other thoughts is absolutely necessary for athletes.
If you want to know more about developing the mindset of an athlete, managing anxiety, overcoming your past, or you want support in reaching your performance goals, click on the contact button below to get in touch with Stacy Andrews, MA, LPCC, NCC and True Grit Performance Counseling.