Embracing the “Peaking is a Mindset” Philosophy of Coach Tom Brands
March is one of my favorite times of year. Yes, it’s March Madness, or what wrestlers like to call Mat Madness. Starting with the cycle of conference championships and ending with the NCAA championship, college peaking season is upon us.
With that said, peaking is such an esoteric concept in sports. Many try, few are successful. Moreover, peaking is ultimately the difference between those who are at their best at the end of a grueling season and those who are only a shell of their best self.
This week, Iowa’s head wrestling coach and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Tom Brands shared a profound insight about peaking worth listening to: He minces no words by making it clear that his philosophy is that “peaking is a mindset…”
What Does “Peaking is a Mindset” Mean?
Unquestionably, whenever a coach says that something is a mindset there is more to it than just accepting that it’s a “mindset.” What does it even mean to say something is a mindset?
First, let’s start with the definition of mindset. In her preeminent book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. provides a simple definition of mindset. She defines mindset as:
The view you adopt for yourself [that] profoundly affects the way you lead your life.
Dweck goes on to make the case that one’s mindset determines whether a person becomes who they want to be and accomplishes their goals. Moreover, I teach clients that there are 5 elements that define your mindset: thoughts, perceptions, emotions, values and behaviors.
Therefore the “peaking is a mindset” philosophy coach Brands espouses is a product of these five elements.
1. Thoughts
Peaking is the thought that you’re getting better every week and that you will be your best in the postseason. Your thoughts are a product of your self-talk. So, the peaking mindset starts at the beginning of the season by constantly telling yourself that your best is yet to come. Then, throughout the season constantly reminding yourself that you are working to get better for the postseason.
2. Perception
Perception is how we process our thoughts to create our reality. The age-old metaphor of viewing the glass half empty or half full is the classic example. The peaking mindset requires you to reframe all challenges throughout the season as the glass being half full. In other words, any setback is a setup for a comeback.
3. Emotions
Emotions are a judgement of your perceptions. These judgements you make have the potential to cause physiological changes. For example, anger may cause your heart rate to go up, stress may cause you to sweat, and happiness or sadness may make you cry. The peaking mindset is one in which you invest emotions into the process, not the outcome. You shouldn’t get emotional because you won or loss, only about the process of getting better prepared for the postseason.
4. Values
Values define what one believes is important. An order of priority of what’s important also comes through values, which leads to core values. These core values provide a means for one to process choices between conflicting values. The #1 value of the peaking mindset is improving and being ready to be at your best in the postseason. This core value will guide all decisions.
5. Behaviors
Behaviors are both a direct product of values and a culmination of the other three elements. As a result, although one’s behavior is a representation of what they value, one’s facial expressions, posture, and effort are the manifestation of one’s thoughts, perceptions, and emotions. When you have the peaking mindset, it comes down to repeating the behaviors that help you win when it counts. Winners are willing to do things that losers aren’t willing to do. So those who have the peaking mindset behave like champions and understand that their behaviors are the only thing that separates them from everyone else.