How to be Mentally Prepared on the Bench
One of the most challenging situations for athletes is knowing you’re good enough to start, be on a relay team, get more playing time, or make a travel squad yet you are not given an opportunity by the coach.
Not getting a chance to contribute to a team can erode confidence. And confidence is the very thing you need when it’s time to show others you can do the job.
Unfortunately, many athletes lose confidence when others do not believe in their ability.
Your mindset matters. If you think you’re not good enough, you will “talk yourself” into thinking you cannot compete at a level you belong.
Thinking this way can affect your effort, motivation, and commitment to reaching your goals.
However, you can re-frame the situation to one in which you increase your efforts, focus on developing your skills, and improve mental toughness needed to prove that you have what it takes to compete at the next level.
Do you choose to give up or do you work to put yourself back into the lineup?
Such was the situation Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet found himself facing…
VanVleet had a difficult road after not being selected in the 2016 NBA draft. VanVleet spent a significant amount of time playing for Toronto’s G-League affiliate, the Raptors 905.
In 2018, VanVleet signed a free agent contract with Toronto and has played a significant role in the Raptors making it to the 2018-19 NBA Championship. During the season, VanVleet averaged 27.5 minutes per game, 11 points, 4.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game.
VanVleet was upset about not playing full-time in the NBA, splitting time between the Raptors and their G-league affiliate during his rookie season.
But VanVleet’s mindset was geared toward developing his skills and proving what he believed all along that he can contribute at the NBA level.
VAN FLEET: “The grind of going down there [G-League] and not wanting to go. Feeling like I was good enough to play [with the Raptors] in my rookie year, but not having the opportunity. Having to go down there and prove what I can do. You go down there, you play, you develop your game a little bit and decide what kind of player you want to be and at the same time prove that you belong up here.”
When you meet difficult challenges head on with the right mindset, you develop both the confidence and mental toughness required to advance your game or reach the next level.
Staying Confident through Challenging Situations:
It may sound difficult to believe, but your opinion matters most. Your opinion about your skills, your ability to improve, your mental game and your overall potential affect you effort. Plain and simple!
If you’re sent down or sent back to JV, look at it as a chance to improve your skills, perform at that level, and prove to yourself and others you can get back to the level you deserve.
Learn Mental Game Strategies to Boost Your Confidence in Sports!
If you’re an athlete who struggles with self-doubt, loses confidence, or cant take “practice confidence” to competition, The Confident Athlete is for you!
Self-confidence is what separates champion athletes from the rest of the competitors…
You can tap into my knowledge and experience to learn how to bring ultimate confidence to competition!
The Confident Athlete CD and workbook program consists of 2 audio CD’s that include 14 days of confidence fueling exercises and a simple to follow workbook that guides you through the 14 days, helps you apply the strategies and customizes the exercises to your personal needs.
Remember, confidence is a choice you make. You have to make a conscious effort to proactively seek confidence building thoughts and behaviors. Confident Athletes are proactive when it comes to confidence!
Learn more about one of our most popular CD programs in The Confident Athlete Series…
The Confident Athlete: A 14-Day Plan For Ultimate Self-Confidence
Take control of your mindset and performance today!
What are mental game customers saying about our confidence boosting program?
“I am a ASP world qualifying professional surfer and after beginning the ‘The Confident Athlete’ I had an almost instant change in attitude about my own surfing ability and my mindset going into competition. By using the Confident Athlete strategies, my confidence has done a complete 180 degrees. I won a local pro/am a few weeks back, and just had my best result of the year in one the last big events on the world circuit this last week in Brazil! It is my secret weapon!”*
~Shaun Burrell, Professional Surfer
(Listen to his success story)
“We are amazed at how much ‘The Confident Athlete’ program has helped my niece play her best tennis during matches. She literally made it to the farthest round of a tournament (semifinals) after finishing the CDs/workbook. We are going to do all 3 in the series.”*
~Jason Bourguignon, Uncle
“I bought The Confident Athlete and I have to tell you it is one of the best investments I’ve ever made in sports (and I’ve made quite a lot!)” I am a top amateur racquetball player. I have multiple state and regional titles, and 2 national titles. Your approach and ideas have snapped me out of a slump that has lasted way too long. The sport is fun again and I am playing like my old self for the first time in a long time!”*
~Mark Davis
Boost Your Self-Confidence And Focus With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
If you’re a top performer during practice but find yourself under-performing in competition, the most likely culprit holding you back is your mental game. In fact, many athletes struggle with the same problem….
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with personal coaching.
Meet with us via Skype, phone, FaceTime, or GoTo Meeting. With today’s video technology, we are able to connect with athletes and coaches all over the globe.
Mental toughness coaching helps serious athletes like you to uncover the beliefs and attitudes that keep you from performing to your potential. You’ll learn mental game strategies to perform at your peak more often, overcoming performance plateaus and lack of consistency
Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our mental coaching students saying?
“I want to thank you for the great
work you are doing with Ty. He seems to be soaring with confidence right
now. We are flying out to see him pitch next weekend. He threw well
Friday night and is drawing a lot of interest from several Division I
schools. I’ll let you know how he looks.”*
~Randy Sullivan, Baseball Parent
“Thanks again for teaching me how to do mental game coaching with my volleyball team. We are already seeing results for just our FIRST meeting! I really enjoyed out work together in Orlando!”*
~Kurt Trout, Iowa Rockets Volleyball Coach
Disclaimer
*Testimonials found on this site are examples of what we have done for other clients, and what some of our clients have said about us. However, we cannot guarantee the results in any case. Your results may vary and every situation is different. No compensation was provided for these testimonials.