Have you ever wondered what sets apart an average athlete and an elite upper echelon athlete? Many studies have been conducted having athletes practice repetitively only physically; those athletes who practice only the mental aspect (mindset) using visualization of the outcome they desire; and those who practice both the physical and mental aspects. It has been shown that those who practice both physical and mental practices excel beyond their wildest dreams!
With the desire to stand out as an upper-echelon athlete, you must have the right mindset to even begin to learn and practice what you desire.
When you decide you want to excel in a specific sport or several sports, it is very motivating to know that anything is possible with a dream, a goal, passion, focus, inspiration, and tenacity! The human body is a magnificent creation!
When you first thought about pursuing a specific sport, what and/or who inspired you? Were your parents athletic, and/or do your friends who are athletes inspire you? Did you know of someone you admired and wanted to emulate?
When you are passionate about a specific sport, and you have goals and dreams you desire to participate in, it all begins with a thought (an idea)! Every thought brings up feelings (emotions) that cause vibrations of energy that inspire you to take actions, which then creates results!
When you think about becoming an upper-echelon athlete, what steps are you taking toward that goal and dream? Are you the type of person who is dedicated to be the best in whatever you do? Do you feel you need to “keep up” with others who have achieved amazing success?
In many sports, the competition is such that the contestants and participants are closely matched. The margin of victory can be measured in tenths and sometimes hundreds of seconds, as we often see in many of the Olympic sports disciplines.
The difference is often mental preparation and mindset. Visualization and mindset are the keys to optimal success in any sport; and, of course, coupled with repetitive physical practice.
If you listen to these competitors speak about their chosen sport and victories, you will often note that they will sometimes speak of their mental/mindset training. It truly is a mental state of mind that enables the athletes to perform at their highest level physically, and often makes all the difference!
You may see these elite competitors engaging in various forms of focusing exercises prior to their events. For example, Michael Phelps in the 2016 Olympics can be seen with a hoody obscuring most of his face with headphones on; clearly listening to something that places him in his “mental zone”, and most likely visualizing the outcome.
My husband tells me that the great Kenny Roberts, a Grand Prix Motorcycle Road Racer, was known to go into his team’s tire trailer to get away from the crowd and focus on his upcoming event. Kenny Roberts stated that he was visualizing the outcome.
There have been many performance studies that have been conducted that measure various groups that do physical training only; mental training only; and both mental and physical training. In general, the results favored those who incorporated both physical and mental training, and they often excelled at a higher level.
Sports Psychology is not only top of mind to millions of people around the world that are either participating in or watching the Olympics, but many athletes practice their skills repetitively and on a regular basis, using visualizing the outcome and practicing their chosen physical athletic modality. I encourage you to watch the Olympics closely, as you are likely to see the competitors engaging in mental preparation at various times before they perform.
I have personally worked with athletes who have achieved their wildest goals and dreams and have qualified to participate in their chosen sport!
If you or someone you care about is interested in being an elite athlete and competing at the highest levels, or you simply want to bring the sports you love to a higher level, your mindset and visualization are one of the essential modalities to incorporate into your physical training and other athletic practices.
I welcome the opportunity to guide you toward your dreams and goals! If you are interested in setting up a discovery call, please call me at 1(818) 262-1246.