Pressure is part of competition. It appears before championship games, deciding points, final laps, important at bats, and any moment in which an athlete deeply cares about the outcome. The goal is not to eliminate pressure. The goal is to develop the skills to perform effectively while experiencing it.
Mistakes are unavoidable in sports. A tennis player double faults. A basketball player turns the ball over. A soccer player misses an open shot. A gymnast falls from the beam. A quarterback throws an interception.
The mistake itself is rarely the biggest problem.
What often causes the most damage is what happens mentally after the mistake.
Pre-game jitters are one of the most common struggles we see among athletes when they begin mental training with SPMI. Whether an athlete is preparing for a championship match, an important tournament, a college showcase, or simply the next game of the season, nervousness can quickly take over.
The heart starts racing. The stomach feels unsettled. Muscles tighten. Thoughts begin moving faster. Suddenly, instead of thinking about competing, the athlete is thinking, What if I mess up? What if I lose? What if I disappoint everyone?
As parents, we naturally want to give our children every opportunity to succeed. We invest countless hours driving to practices, paying for private lessons, traveling to tournaments, and cheering from the sidelines. We celebrate victories and encourage them through defeats. But amid the pursuit of athletic excellence, there is an important question every parent should ask:
Is my athlete becoming too comfortable, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally?
Currently, having worked with athletes at SPMI for over 14 years I have seen one particular mental attribute that stands out alone, mindset. An athlete’s mindset single handedly can determine the outcome of a competition. This is most apparent in moments of opposition when an athlete finds themself in an undesirable situation. There are two distinct types of mindsets that athletes fall under.
One of the greatest misconceptions in mental toughness is the belief that controlling one's bad thoughts is about countering bad thoughts with good thoughts. Recent empirical studies have found that this approach often leads to an increase in cognitive anxiety. Trying to control one’s bad thoughts often leads to an increase or strengthening of bad thoughts. Therefore, One powerful solution to calming the mind does not begin with one thoughts but instead with one's senses.
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you think you know that just ain't so." - Mark Twain
This past weekend Kira Lewis won the biggest contest of her young career thus far taking home 1st place at Worlds in Mexico! Kira has worked tremendously hard this year on her mental game and has been put to the test countless times. Winning the biggest event of the year in Wakeboarding was a result of consistent sacrifice in her training and in her dedication to becoming the best.
Congratulations to SPMI athlete Kira Lewis. Kira has worked very hard on her mental game this year and recently placed 2nd in US Nationals in Wakeboarding held in Monroe, Washington. Kira is now on her way to Japan where she will compete in Worlds. Like most SPMI athletes, Kira trains her mental game through 1-on-1 Online Mental Training.
I rarely write about SPMI athletes and their success stories but I believe it is time the world starts hearing about them. SPMI has had a very positive impact in over 1000 lives in over 50 sports. The mission of SPMI is to reach millions of athletes from all over the world and help each one of them achieve their dreams by providing them with invaluable skills and discoveries that will elevate their well-being both in sports and in life.
