The most important thing we can do following any performance is endeavor to learn from the experience. In so doing we enable ourselves to come back stronger next time. Sulking or feeling sorry for ourselves following a disappointing outcome serves no purpose. Honest, non judgmental evaluation does. Remember, for any peak performance to occur all aspects of an athletes life must come together.
Can anyone expect more from an athlete than giving their best personal effort each and every day? How often do we see this occur in individual and team athletic events? Many athletes and teams believe that they do this, yet continue to fall short of their goals. Why would this happen? Don’t all competitive athletes want to win?
In achieving a peak performance effort all aspects of an athletes preparation must come together at the same time, including a well-developed mind-set.
Athletes at all levels experience the pressures of competition. Such pressure may come from parents, coaches, teammates, or from the athletes own expectations regarding their performance. While these pressures are quite common they are sure to limit an individuals level of competitive intensity. Rather than focusing on the task at hand many athletes report thinking about the “dire” consequences of a sub par performance.
Just as athletes conduct a physical warm up just prior to a practice or performance, so too should they consider developing a psychological or mental warm up in order to put them in the best frame of mind for a peak performance. This can be easily accomplished in just a few hours, and over time, can be continuously refined and individualized in order to enable them to “win the mind game.”
Planning
What frees you to perform your best? Think about a previous performance that you are proud of.
