One of the greatest mental battles athletes face is the ability to stay motivated and not give up when times get tough. Too often, athletes find themselves training less. One reason for this is due to a major shift in the athlete's perception of training and their goals.
This unproductive pattern looks something like this:
An athlete's focus the day of competition often differs from other days. On non-competition days, many athletes are training hard, working on their weaknesses while strengthening their strengths. However, on competition days athletes may seem tenser, more serious, and in some cases, quieter. This time of readiness is one that many athletes take too seriously. Depending on the time of the event, athletes may separate themselves from their team, reflecting on their upcoming performance and isolating themselves from any distraction that could “harm” their focus and overall result.
