Develop a growth mindset for your sport |19 February 2022
Examples of a growth mindset:
- Try very hard to overcome obstacles
- Want to achieve better results
- Learn from positive remarks/critics
- Strong desire to learn more
- Accept defeat and have aspiration in the success of others
- Heart and soul in training and competition
- Don't focus on the outcome during competition
- Focus stay calm in any situation
- Tendency to face challenges
- Don't become content and complacent when you achieve your goal.
Contentment can hurt your progress and you stop working hard, not moving in the right directions of greater achievement, you come to a standstill.
What's the reason for this mental standstill?
The stress of performing at a higher level, competition is even more challenging. The pressure is greater.
Athlete should develop growth mindset. This mindset will free you from stress anxiety. However, this mindset will not hold you back from performing at your peak.
How to counter a complacent mindset?
Reset your goals after your significant accomplishment, but make them manageable.
Setting new goal provides you with a clear picture of your next achievement. Setting manageable goals will control the level of anxiety.
Focus on having fun and executing your game plan that will increase your chances of success.
Release yourself of the high expectations you have or feel from others. Such as to perform at your best all the time or be perfect. If I don't beat this person, I am a failure. If I don't win my parents will be angry. If I make any mistakes my teammate will be upset with me. If I don't perform to a high level I won't get a scholarship. All these thoughts lead to high expectations, more pressure to perform, greater fear of failing, and less enjoyment of competing.
Expectations are the roots of dissatisfaction when you don't meet them
Learn stress reduction strategies. Competition anxiety will not go away on its own, you need to counteract or manage anxiety through proven methods that work, such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, through stopping thoughts and visualisation.
Sports should not be hazardous to your health if properly practiced. Studies have shown that 20 to 30 minutes of exercise each day will help to manage stress and make you become calmer.
Don't be stressful and scared to make mistakes because your best teacher is your last mistake.
We may not be able to control what happens to us, but we can always control how to react.
After reading my article, consider where you are now, reflect on where you want to be, consider a growth mindset or lifestyle choices that fit your sports performance to reach your goals.
The best way to improve your mental game is one on one with a mental coach or sports psychologist.
Maurice Denys (Mr)
Certified Mental Coach
S.N.H.S. Dip (Sports Psychology)
S.N.H.S. Dip (Life Coaching)