| Have you ever competed against an opponent | | | | compete. |
| who was not as dedicated as you or did not | | | | You *must* keep this principle in mind when you |
| work as hard as you do, but somehow found a | | | | train and practice. Practice and training are only |
| way to beat you in competition? | | | | effective if they help you perform well in |
| Under performing can be super-frustrating for | | | | competition. This is the real reason why you train |
| most athletes. My coaching students think it is | | | | or practice, correct? |
| frustrating. They says things such as, "I work at | | | | This leads me to the other hard-to-grasp variable |
| my game harder than anyone. Why do less | | | | in the success formula - a powerful mental game |
| talented or lazy athletes always beat me? I can't | | | | producing the ability to compete under pressure in |
| stand it! " | | | | crunch-time. Hard working perfectionistic athletes |
| My simple answer, "Hard work and talent alone is | | | | get in their own way by over-thinking, |
| not the complete formula for success." However, | | | | over-analyzing, trying too hard, and becoming |
| the reason behind under-performance is more | | | | consumed with tension or anxiety. |
| complex. | | | | The biggest reason you get in your own way and |
| Most motivated, perfectionistic athletes, who | | | | underperform is that you so badly want to |
| work their tail end off every day in practice, | | | | succeed. Fear of failure is like a thorn in your side |
| cannot stomach getting beat by hackers or | | | | not allowing you to focus fully on your |
| slackers. Slackers are athletes who don't practice | | | | performance. |
| much, appear as though they don't care about | | | | Here are some tips to help you embrace a |
| their sport, or are unorthodox with their methods. | | | | success-driven mindset, free of fear, every time |
| How frustrating is it to get beat by one! | | | | you enter competition. |
| The ironic part is that dedicated, motivated | | | | 1. Let go of unrealistic expectations. Extremely |
| athletes use their frustration to work even harder | | | | high expectations can make your feel like a failure |
| so they can win in the next competition. | | | | no matter what you do. It's just not realistic to |
| However, more work leads to greater emotional | | | | expect to score perfectly every time you get |
| investment. Greater emotional investment leads | | | | the ball or have the chance to score. High |
| to high expectations and even higher frustration | | | | expectations make you judge your performance |
| after failure. | | | | continuously. Setting attainable goals for the game |
| You can see that it is a vicious cycle. How do you | | | | that allows for human error is a better option. |
| break the cycle? | | | | The purpose of this is to be able to "move on" |
| Perfectionistic, hard-working athletes - a coach's | | | | when you make mistakes. |
| dream - have trouble breaking the cycle because | | | | 2. Emphasize fun, not being perfect. You are |
| they believe that it is impossible to practice or | | | | probably very hard on yourself in practice and |
| train too much. In their minds, more effort and | | | | games. The tension and frustration you |
| practice is the formula for success. | | | | experience partially results from an overemphasis |
| From my experience, success in sports does not | | | | on trying to be perfect. Try to have fun with |
| always work this way. | | | | your football. Enjoy the time you spend on the |
| What is the first step to breaking the negative | | | | field instead of judging yourself on how well you |
| cycle of hard work - lack of success - frustration | | | | are doing on each play. |
| - and more hard work? | | | | 3. Don't dwell on shortcomings. If you are a |
| If you are very motivated or perfectionistic, the | | | | perfectionist, you spend a lot of time dwelling on |
| first step is to realize that your attitude might not | | | | the mistakes you make and weaknesses. This is |
| be as effective as you think. Also you must | | | | unhealthy for your self-confidence and doesn't let |
| realize that you can work too hard in sports. | | | | you enjoy your sport. You are not a failure; you |
| Doing more reps, laps, shots, or spending more | | | | just choose to think more about your faults. You |
| time in practice than anyone else does not always | | | | have to make the choice to think about what you |
| translate into effective practice. | | | | did well in each practice and game. Remember the |
| If this scenario sounds familiar to you, then you | | | | good plays and downs instead of replaying your |
| need to recognize that trying harder does not | | | | errors or mistakes. |
| produce peak performance. I realize that your | | | | 4. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. |
| emotional investment in *success* is pushing you, | | | | Perfectionists think that anything less than a |
| driving you, ultimately causing you to fall short of | | | | flawless performance is a failure. You have to |
| your potential. | | | | accept that you are human and you will have bad |
| Most highly motivated, perfectionistic athletes | | | | days just like everyone else. Sometimes it helps |
| have half of the success formula correct. They | | | | to give yourself permission to make mistakes. |
| have an intense internal drive to succeed and are | | | | You're not perfect and even the best football |
| willing to put in the time needed to become good. | | | | players in the world make mistakes. |
| All great athletes have this mindset down pat | | | | 5. Sit the closed book test. I tell many of my |
| such as Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Vijay Singh. | | | | athletes that practice is for training and improving |
| However, they possess the other component to | | | | technique and competition is for putting your skills |
| the success formula too. These athletes are able | | | | to the test. This works! |
| to get the most from their ability when they | | | | |