The power of our mind plays a central role in everything we do. In order to be a D-1 athlete, you had to first dream about becoming one. With that dream, you devised a strategy. And, finally you implemented the strategy to make the dream come true. Without the vision, you would have never started the path to achievement. As Gandhi once said, “a man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.”
On a smaller scale, you use the power of your mind on a daily basis to get through things like practice and class. However, your mind can play tricks on you. It may even seem like sometimes you are battling against it. For example, you might doubt your preparation or whether you know your assignment. You may panic and make mistakes. Isn’t it amazing how much of the game you can seemingly glide through and still be in the right place at the right time, but when you start thinking about what you are doing, you can take yourself out of the game? This again comes down to believing in yourself, your teammates, and your coaches.
As competitors, you’ve undoubtedly experienced a moment where you’ve spent so much time focusing on what NOT to do that you end up doing just that. If you’ve ever been golfing, you know that thinking “don’t hit it in the water” while staring at the water is a recipe for the ball splashing into the drink.
In a similar sense, some athletes struggle to see themselves achieving anything greater than what they have already accomplished. A classic example of this is the 4-minute mile barrier. For years, everyone believed it was impossible to run a mile in under 4 minutes. And, as a result, many athletes never tried. However, Roger Bannister broke the “4-minutemile” barrier in 1954. Immediately after this achievement, many athletes followed his lead and also broke the not so impossible “barrier.” “If you believe it, you can achieve it” is way too simple to endorse. However, believing that you can do something that has never been done before increases the chance that you may achieve something special.
Research has shown how important it is to be confident when competing. In a recent study, elite athletes were shown videos of their successful and failed attempts in competition. The athletes who were shown successful attempts displayed brain activity indicating that they were “ready to engage.” Specifically, they showed an increase in alertness and hormonal changes that reflected happiness as well as a readiness to perform. Conversely, athletes who viewed personal failure showed sadness and were “slower” to perform. This research suggests that when athletes are triggered to experience feelings of success (both psychological and physiological), they are more successful in future competition and heightened energy levels, compared to those who were triggered to experience feelings of failure.
Golfer Arnold Palmer kept the following mantra in his locker to remind himself of the importance his mind had on the game.
If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think that you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win, but think you can’t, It’s almost certain you won’t. If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost. For out in the world you’ll find success begins with a fellow’s will. It’s all in the state of mind. Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man; but sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.
Regardless of your role on the team, it is important to maintain your confidence and work on improving your mindset. A great way to do this is to create a list of things you know that you CAN DO right now. This may include studying film, practicing hard to give your teammates the opportunity to compete at game-speed, or being supportive of your teammates as they go through a tough time. Whatever the case may be, the importance of isolating what you are capable of and continuing to develop those skills can provide a great sense of selfworth and confidence moving forward. With the appropriate mindset in place, you can use the power of your mind to achieve both your personal goals and team goals. Keep track of your progress and the effect it has had on your confidence.