Finding Confidence After Failure How do you feel after blowing a lead and losing a game? Do you question your abilities? Do you feel less confident about the next competition? What you tell yourself after a performance will impact your emotions and confidence. In addition, your thoughts about a recent performance will affect your preparation
Do losses motivate you? For many athletes, losses hurt their confidence and detract from their motivation. Unfortunately, losses are part of the athletic experience. So goes the saying, “You can’t win them all.” How you respond to a loss separates good athletes from great ones. After a loss, you have two choices: 1. You can
What makes an elite athlete “elite”? Elite athletes aren’t elite just because they are talented. Plenty of talented athletes have not lived up to their potential. Do elite athletes just have better coaching? Again, many athletes have risen to the top without the best coaching. Likewise, many talented athletes have elite coaches and still consistently
What is your contribution to pressure when you compete? It’s interesting to think about how we contribute to pressure. Pressure doesn’t merely exist; it is shaped by our thoughts and feelings about competing in certain situations. Pressure is a personal experience, and your relationship to pressure impacts your anxiety and performance levels. What affects your
How does mental toughness help an athlete when they are being harshly criticized? Mental toughness is often seen as a physical triumph over adversity. For example, a football player who returns to action in the fourth quarter after limping off the field earlier in the game. Or a gymnast who gets back up on the
What were the worst conditions you faced in a competition? Were you able to concentrate on competing, or did the weather or arena mentally affect your performance? Wind, rain, snow, excessive heat, frigid temperatures, and glaring sun can affect playing surfaces and competition conditions. It is challenging to be your best when weather conditions are