The First Skill an Athlete Must Master to Conquer the Mental Side of Sports
One of my primary objectives of writing each day on this blog is to make the case for why the mental side of sports is more important than the physical side. Recently I wrote two articles to specifically provide details on the “why” behind this.
- The first article shares specific evidence that proves why the mental side of sports is so important.
- The second article list out the 10 mental focus areas that make up 99% of what one needs to win the mental battle in sports.
Unquestionably, if a parent, coach, or athlete takes these two articles seriously they will be well on their way to conquering the mental side of sports. However, today I have one more recommendation to put a cherry on top.
The point I want to make today is simple and brief. Out of the 10 mental focus areas that I recommend athletes focus on, there is one in particular they must excel at before all others. It happens to be #10 on the list, but it’s actually #1 in terms of process. It’s the ability to:
Clarify one’s mission/vision/goal for the day/week/month to direct focus on the most important things and avoid distractions.
Living, Breathing, and Progressing Towards a Mission/Vision/Goal is the First Mental Skill Athlete’s Must Learn
This ability to consistently focus on a specific mission/vision/goal over a specific period of time is a prerequisite for excellence. To become excellent in the other 9 areas of mental focus, athletes must work on each skill separately and deliberately. It may take a week, a month, or a year. Either way, improving mental skills is an intentional act that starts with a mission/vision/goal.
What’s more, one must have discipline to wake up each day with a deliberate focus on their mission/vision/goal. It’s one thing to write it down. It’s another separate and far more difficult thing to live it, breathe it, and progress towards it.
Without doubt, athletes get a lot of practice setting goals. Yet, they don’t get much practice with the process of clarifying the specific steps they must take to keep focus on their goals and avoid distractions. This process is a mental skill that parents and coaches would be remiss to ignore.