5 Mental Challenges of Sport:

and Supporting Your High Performance Athlete Through Them

Author

Fortitude 365
August 29, 2024

Hi Everyone, thanks for checking out this week’s newsletter. Below you'll find:

  • Performance Concept of the week

    • 5 Mental Challenges of Sport: and Supporting Your High Performance Athlete Through Them

  • Action plan

  • Resource of the week

  • Things to Explore

  • Got Questions?

Performance Concept of the Week

5 Mental Challenges of Sport: and Supporting Your High Performance Athlete Through Them

Competitive and high performance sports are littered with mental challenges. Sometimes the mental is harder than the physical and the ability to overcome these mental challenges is key to performance excellence.

The mental game is about pushing through discomfort, blocking out distractions, staying poised under pressure, thinking critically to solve problems, and managing egos.

“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do”.

Kobe Bryant

How can you support your competitive or high performance athlete?

Know The Five Mental Challenges of Sports

1) Pushing Through Discomfort

Every athlete will encounter moments where they need to push beyond their limits. This could be during intense training sessions, grueling competitions, or when recovering from an injury. The ability to push through discomfort is essential for growth, but it can also take a toll on mental health and performance.

How You Can Help: Encourage your athlete to listen to their body and mind. The world’s best athletes are highly self-aware of what is going on internally and externally. Talk to them the importance of distinguishing between productive discomfort that leads to growth and harmful pain that could lead to injury. Reinforce the value of perseverance while also emphasizing the importance of self-care and recovery.

2) Blocking Out Distractions

In the heat of competition, distractions are inevitable—whether it’s the noise from the crowd, an opponent’s tactics, internal doubts or something else. Staying focused amidst distractions is key for peak performance. If they don’t have the mental skill tools in their toolbox, feel free to reach out - we can help!

How You Can Help: Help your athlete by reminding them to use their mental skills. This could involve mindfulness, visualization techniques, or their routines. Encourage them to practice these mental skills regularly so they become second nature during competitions.

3) Staying Poised Under Pressure

High-pressure situations are a given in competitive and high performance sports. Whether it’s taking a game-winning shot or executing a critical play, staying calm and poised is key to success.

How You Can Help: Remind your athlete on the importance of deep breathing and staying present in the moment. Remind them that pressure is a privilege and a sign that they are in a position to succeed. Provide emotional support and be a steadying influence, especially when the stakes are high.

4) Thinking Critically to Solve Problems

Competing in sports requires quick thinking and problem-solving on the fly. Athletes must be able to analyze the situation, make decisions, and adapt their strategies—all in real-time. Remember taking action on problem solving also is a step towards confidence.

How You Can Help: Encourage your athlete to engage in activities that sharpen their critical thinking skills. Discuss different scenarios they might encounter and how they could approach them, fostering a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability.

5) Managing Their Own Egos

Reality is every athlete has an ego (at some level). While confidence is crucial, managing one’s ego and working effectively as part of a team is equally important. Sports are often a balance between individual performance and team dynamics.

How You Can Help: Emphasize the importance of humility, respect, and teamwork. Encourage your athlete to celebrate the successes of others and to view constructive criticism as an opportunity for growth. Help them understand that being a good teammate is just as important as individual accolades…..and most importantly these are the traits that coaches at the next level are looking for.

Summary

Supporting your athlete in navigating the five mental challenges of sports can significantly enhance their mental performance and overall well-being. By teaching them to balance perseverance with self-care, focus amidst distractions, maintain calm under pressure, engage in critical thinking, and value teamwork over individual accolades, you contribute to their growth as both athletes and individuals.

Action Plan

This week, when the timing is right, ask your athlete how they feel about each of these challenges and what their plan is to deal with them. Identify which one they feel is the most difficult for them and brainstorm strategies together to tackle it.

Resource of the Week

Want more mental performance tips - join our mental performance newsletter for more tips on mental performance and ways to deal with mental challenges in sport.

Things to Explore

Got Questions?

Do you have a question, or want to know more about a topic. Let our team of experts help you. Ask your question here by clicking the button below. We will post answers to questions within future newsletters.

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