Navigating "The Process"

A Blueprint for Parents of Competitive & High-Performance Athletes on the Approach to Performance

Author

Fortitude 365
January 04, 2024

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

  • Performance Concept of the week

    • Navigating "The Process": A Blueprint for Parents of Competitive & High-Performance Athletes on the Approach to Performance

  • Action plan

  • Resource of the week

  • Things to Explore

  • Got Questions?

Performance Concept of the Week

Navigating "The Process": A Blueprint for Parents of Competitive & High-Performance Athletes on the Approach to Performance

In the world of competitive and high-performance sports, you've likely heard the mantra: "Trust the Process" or “Enjoy the Process” If you as a parent have not heard this, your athlete definitely has from their coach!

But what exactly is "The Process," and why is it hailed as the path to success for athletes? In this article, we'll delve into the key components of "The Process" and explore how parents can support their competitive or high performance athlete by understanding and navigating “The Process” with them.

What does “The Process” look like:

The journey to success in sports involves more than talent, and physical training; it encompasses mental fortitude, emotional resilience, being very good at the fundamentals of the sport, and a commitment to being excellent in everything you do.

"The Process" can be likened to a bank account. Just as you make daily deposits into a financial account to withdraw later, the consistent efforts, actions, and commitments in "The Process" serve as deposits into the account of athletic success. Similar to money being the currency of the process, performance is the eventual withdrawal.

The foundational deposits of “The Process” include:

  1. Being on Time - Punctuality becomes a crucial deposit, reflecting the athlete's commitment to the process and setting the stage for future withdrawals of timely performances. It helps athletes be prepared mentally and not be flustered, thus reducing stress. When we are less stressed we are calmer and perform better.

  2. Working Hard - Each instance of hard work adds to the increasing balance of “The Process” account, paving the way for withdrawals of resilience and endurance when facing challenges.

  3. Setting Daily Goals - Setting daily goals is akin to strategic deposits, contributing to progress in the long run.

  4. Working on Strengths Relentlessly - A constant focus on their strengths serves as a consistent deposit, reinforcing the athlete's proficiency and contributing to a well-rounded skill set. Remind your athlete regularly about their strengths, and why they should focus on using them.

Guiding your athlete through "The Process" involves understanding the principles of consistency, growth mindset, elite habits, specificity, hard work, commitment, and the recognition that luck has no place in the journey amongst other things. However, as a parent start with these high level ones! By equating "The Process" to a bank account, you can convey the importance of daily deposits, emphasizing that goals are for dreamers, but "The Process" is the blueprint for achievers.

The Process of “The Process”

  1. Consistent Right Actions - Instil in your athlete the significance of discipline to the right actions daily reinforcing the idea that each effort contributes to future gains. The easiest actions you can support as a parent include supporting high performance habits of daily habits of sleep, hydration, nutrition, mental health and wellbeing as we have written about in previous articles.

  2. Growth Mindset for Skill Mastery - Ensure your athlete cultivates a growth mindset, fostering the belief that skill mastery is an ongoing journey and they can constantly improve their skills. Mistakes become opportunities for growth and improvement, akin to deposits building interest in the bank of expertise.

  3. Elite Habits – No Shortcuts - Elite athletes understand the value of hard work and commitment, regular deposits into the account of excellence. Stress the importance of sustained effort over time (consistency) and the absence of shortcuts in the pursuit of performance excellence.

  4. Specificity and Intentionality - “The Process" demands “specificity” and “intentionality”. Encourage them to set clear, daily achievable goals, work methodically towards them , and focus on the details (coaches at the next level want athletes with detail in their game).

  5. Hard Work, Commitment, Effort - Success requires persistent hard work and unwavering commitment. Share anecdotes of celebrated athletes who attribute their success to relentless dedication to "The Process."

  6. The Predictable Process, Unpredictable Outcome - Remind your athlete that while "The Process" is predictable, outcomes are not guaranteed. Measure success by judging the improvements to their process, not the outcome.

  7. Eliminating Excuses - "The Process" eliminates excuses, emphasizing accountability for one's actions and outcomes. Teach your athlete that excuses are barriers to progress and hinders successfully executing “The Process”.

  8. Present Moment Focus - “The Process” ensures a present moment focus, much like being mindful. Combined with intentionality and specificity as noted above, this can enhance performance and develop their hidden potential. Discourage dwelling on past mistakes or obsessing over future outcomes and a present moment focus on what needs to be done next.

  9. Boring, Hard, Takes Time - Acknowledge the reality that "The Process" can be mundane, challenging, and time-consuming. Emphasize the rewards of the journey, likening the efforts to consistent develop their skills and master their craft.

  10. Luck is Not Part of The Process - Make it clear that luck plays no role in "The Process." Success is the result of intentional actions, hard work, and commitment. Encourage them to take control and control the things they can control (see our article about control the controllables).

Summary

"The Process" is the compass that guides athletes towards their goals. By instilling the principles of consistency, a growth mindset, elite habits, specificity, intentionality, hard work, and commitment, you ca play a vital role in supporting your athlete to understand that success is not just about the outcome but the journey they undertake. As the saying goes, "Goals are for dreamers; The Process is for achievers."

Action Plan

This week’s action plan includes four questions to challenge your athlete when it looks like they are too focussed on the outcome, or look to be taking shortcuts.

  1. What does your world look like when you’re focused on the outcome?

    • Look for answers like - stressed, panicked, stuck in my own head, always comparing myself to someone else, etc.

  2. What does your world look like when you take short cuts?

    • Look for answers like - loose my confidence, frustrated because I’m making mistakes, worried, etc.

  3. What are the demands on you as an athlete?

    • Look for their worry in areas like training, school, family, expectations they place on themself, etc.

  4. What can you do to deal with those demands better and enhance your performance?

    • Observe inconsistencies in their daily elite habits such as sleep, hydration, nutrition, time management, etc.

Resource of the Week

Click here to view “The Process” infographic.

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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