Building a performance mindset is a challenge that is unique to each individual . The journey is relative to your own circumstances, not a race against another, but rather a contest with yourself. It is not about when or where you finish but rather about when you fully understand that finishing was never the task. Therefore, the task is arguably a never ending one as it requires consistent effort that continues in spite of any victories or defeats.
The journey of committing to the positive performance habits and behaviours we have developed over time can prove difficult when past demons show face. Disguised and distorted by our imperfect memory, past events can re-appear at the most inconvenient of times making the task at hand all that more challenging. In these moments, it is crucial that you rely upon your built processes that help you stay in the here and now. These moments of doubt, fueled by the past, are great revealers of your mental discipline. They challenge you to employ your best defense mechanisms and therefore require you to be unbreakable in the face of pressure. If you break, you simply are not ready.
It is in the moment of our mental enemies victory that we are actually presented with the opportunity to gain an upper-hand in our next battle. This advantage is gained through an appropriate mental reaction to the event. Using the emotions felt to fuel a desire to go again is what matters. The feeling of failure and disappointment are the perfect building blocks in framing future attempts positively. They can of course, also.... be the perfect catalysts for giving up the fight. This is the beauty of high performance, it is not for the faint- hearted or the ill-disciplined. I would feel guilty to tell anyone otherwise
At the highest levels of any sport, athletes are bombarded by the past and future whether it be positive memories or negative, expectations of winning or fear of failure. The very best performers at this level have one thing in common that helps them deal with the onslaught. They are able to frame incoming thoughts positively. These processes can however be varied in nature. Some use denial to give any negative thought no value. How can you believe something if you are an expert at denying its validity? Others use the negative incomings as fuel in the challenge to prevail over them. Some have simply, through sheer practice, developed routines and processes that they can follow almost seamlessly regardless of the nature of events and distractions around them.
I challenge you to embrace your stumbles, let them give you the necessary drive to ensure they don't happen again, at least not in the same way. Adopt a growth mindset where there can be no real setbacks, just more tools added to your stash for success in the next attempt. In sport, as in life, there are no victories and defeats …there are only victories and opportunities to learn.
As always, let me know how you get on…
