The missing piece to the puzzle

Mental toughness was a trait I was introduced to and it was ingrained in my mind at a young age. Most experienced and competitive athletes can relate.

- Never complain or give excuses.

- Be the hardest worker in practice and in games. Always practice how you will play.

- Always be the first to help a teammate up.

- Push through the pain, nothing is ever permanent.

- WE over ME mentality.  

These traits served me well over the years. They put me in positions to play with older and more talented players, they taught me to be humble in my successes, and they made me a good player and teammate. A lot of these mental skills you can learn on the court. And a lot of good coaches will teach and expect their athletes to have these mental toughness traits. Many of these traits are characteristics of a championship team, and many parents and coaches know this. As a player, I knew this.

Even when I did all of these things right though, I still hit a point in my athletic career where I needed more mental support. I worked really hard on the court and during training, but when it came to building myself off of the court, I struggled.

I struggled with being confident in my abilities on a consistent basis. I was a good player, but there were days where I just “didn’t have it”, and I didn’t know how to get out of a slump. I didn’t have the awareness and tools to get my mindset in the right place to show up consistently (and as a college player, when you’re playing a rigorous schedule, you need to known how to do this!)

When my consistency lacked, I was more likely to spiral into negativity. I left my successes up to chance instead of actively doing something to get myself out of a slump and back to the player that I knew was somewhere deep inside me. Working hard and being a tough player was only taking me so far and until I really started working on my mindset, I didn’t know or even believe there was another layer to my abilities.

A layer of myself that felt free of pressure. I became a player who didn’t fear making a mistake, or even think about failing when taking risks. I just let my body take over and didn’t think at all. I knew how to show up for myself before and during every game, and step up when my team needed me. And I found so much joy and freedom in playing again.

I had found the missing piece to the puzzle.

The mental awareness and clarity combined with the mental toughness was what I needed to level up. It’s what I needed to become the athlete that I always hoped to be.

This is what mental training was able to do for me, and it can help your athlete too. When your athlete learns the skills and techniques that mental training teaches, gone are the days where you watch them spiral after a mistake from the stands. Gone are the days where they come home frustrated with loads of self-doubt. Help them become the athlete that you know they can be, and give them the gift of confidence and empowerment to take control of their athletic career. They too might find the missing piece to their puzzle of their success.

It worked for me, it’s worked for my athletes, and it can work for your athlete too.