Championship Athletes And The Mental Game
All athletes seek to gain an advantage over their opponents, to play with confidence in tight games, to rise up to challenges, to achieve more of their potential and to get to the “next level.”
The question most athletes seek to answer is, “How do I get to the next level?” or “What specifically do elite athletes do that separates them from the pack?”
Championship athletes engage in mental toughness training as part of their training package…
Mental toughness is about overcoming distractions (fear of failing, worry about future results, opponents, bad calls by officials, past mistakes) and focusing on what you can do now to positively affect the game.
The secret to success is that top teams and top athletes consistently train their mental game along with physical training.
Take for example the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks.
Seattle was on the brink of losing the 2014 NFC championship game down 16-0 at the half.
Then with time dwindling, the Seahawks complete the largest comeback in championship game history defeating the Packers on the last play of overtime to win their second-straight NFC Championship.
Many labeled the comeback as “miraculous” but, in reality, the comeback had everything to do with the team’s mental toughness.
Pete Carroll, head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, is widely considered by many colleagues as an innovator.
One of the keys to Carroll’s success is his attention to the mental side of the game.
When Carroll arrived in Seattle, he hired a Sport Psychologist to assist with the mental conditioning of his players and the team’s overall mental toughness.
Due to the Seahawks’ mental and physical training, the team is gearing up to defend their title in Super Bowl XLIX.
The emphasis Carroll places on training mental toughness provides insight to the mindset of champions.
1. Carroll believes that preparation and work forge an athlete’s confidence.
CARROLL: “Practice is everything. It’s where we make us.”
2. Carroll believes that practice should mimic competition in order to develop the mental skill of focusing.
CARROLL: “I’m trying to create a really thriving environment [in practice]. That means making it as rich as possible. So there’s noise, competition, activity, energy—like when we play. It’s better than a pristine vacuum-type environment, as far as I’m concerned, because we never play there.”
3. Carroll understands that the only way to achieve success is to focus on the “now” and what YOU need to do in the present moment.
CARROLL: “We focus on what’s right in front of us. We don’t care about the other team or the environment we’re playing in. We just take every game as if it’s the most important in the world and focus right on that.”
CARROLL: “It’s really all about us. We’re competing against ourselves to be our best. It’s no disrespect for our opponents. But I don’t want to place any value on our opponents from one week to the next. I want everything to be directed at us being at our best no matter who we’re playing.”
How to develop the mental toughness of a Super Bowl Champion:
- Tip #1: Practice in a way that mimics competition. Train and practice like it was the critical moment of your most important competition.
- Tip #2: Strive to tune out all the mental noise/distractions that take away from what you need to focus on now. Remember, you have the choice to where you place your focus. Train your mind to focus only on the current play, run, or routine.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- Mental Toughness as an Underdog
- Mental Toughness Tips for Athletes
- The Importance of Mental Toughness
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