Life as an athlete can often feel like a pressure cooker. As athletes, you confront stress daily, from the challenges of rigorous training to the high-stakes environment of competition. Today let me provide you with guidance to find wisdom from a somewhat unexpected place: the wisdom of Vice Admiral James Stockdale, a decorated U.S. Navy […]
To prevent choking under pressure, athletes must train 8 mental skills. These mental skills are: 1) acceptance, 2) mindfulness, 3) reframing, 4) visualization, 5) focus, 6) neutral thinking, 7) inhibitory control, and 8) goal orientation. 1) Acceptance One of the most misunderstood mental failures in sports is the act of choking. There is nothing more […]
Pressure burst pipes, but pressure also makes diamonds. So, what is a parent to do when raising an athlete? Do you use pressure to push your child to be an elite athlete (a diamond)? If so, how can you be sure that your pressure won’t cause your child to burn out (burst their pipes) before […]