Distractions can seem like the enemy of focus – and there seems to be an unending supply of them during sports competitions. Even if external distractions such as noisy fans, bad weather, or a crying baby are limited, athletes still need a way to quiet the internal distractions. These might include anxious thoughts about performance or fear regarding an opponent.
Commitment doesn’t always come naturally, especially when something gets old… when it’s no longer NEW or EASY. So we have to TEACH our kids about commitment and its value.
You can almost hear the wheels of fun come to a screeching halt when a young athlete experiences his/her first performance anxiety. As parents and coaches, we know that the heart-pounding and stomach-churning experience of competition is not a one-time deal.
Everyone knows about the importance of GRIT for achieving great things, but how do you help your children grow grit. This short video explores two strategies for parents who hope to instill this quality in their children.
By David Benzel
Fear always comes from negative thoughts. When an athlete chooses to believe in herself, and authors positive affirming thoughts every day in practice, fear is edged out and finds no place to dwell on game day.
The journey you have chosen requires you to blaze a trail, or follow in the steps of others who
have gone before you. Either way you must stay on your chosen path in spite of the various
forks and tributaries that might cause you to stray.
You are not your mind. Your brain is capable of spitting out 60,000 thoughts a day with lightning fast speed, but that’s not who you are. Thoughts come to you faster than you can choose them sometimes, and that means some of them do not actually serve you well.
“Adversity has a way of eliciting strengths that in normal times would otherwise lay dormant.” This quote suggests there is a redeeming value to facing obstacles, setbacks, and adversity. It’s normal to “boo-hoo” at first when calamity strikes, but the sooner you can see adversity as an opportunity – instead of a threat – the faster you will capitalize on its fruits. Every adversity your encounter has benefits of great value, and the lessons hidden in each struggle will make you stronger when you Stick to It.
“When the student is ready, the master will appear.” This familiar quote uses the word “ready” to describe the state of mind of a coachable student. Your attitude toward being coached is the most critical factor in being able to take advantage of new information. It doesn’t matter how revolutionary the coaching might be if the student is not open or receptive to being influenced by a coach. You must find the sweet spot between confident in what you DO know and humble about what you DON’T know at the same time.
What do you pull out of your pocket when you’re lost in the woods? Assuming you don’t have a GPS device, a compass would be most useful for making a decision about the next step in your journey. For that same reason, every athlete needs a moral compass for moving forward in a direction that is consistent with who they are.