7-11 For Peak Athletic Performance

Here we are on the verge of Labor Day…the summers over and it’s only a matter of time before 2012 will be here….sorry to jump to gun a bit,

Normally we look at the details of one specific mental strength tip for athletic performance, such as; building sports confidence, using visualization, strategies to maximize your athletic practice performance, and strategies to set yourself up for competitive and personal success

Instead of this and to help with finishing 2011 strong I’m going suggest 7 mental strength tips to finish 2011, kind of a ‘7-11’ article.

This post is going to a more broad brush approach identifying the mental strength skills and concepts to think about and carry with you thorough out the rest of 2011.

As you know there are numerous of mental strength skills, strategies, approaches that play a role in your athletic performance.  But what are the mental strength skills that seem to be more critical in achieving peak athletic performance?

Following are 7 Mental Strength skills that will help you in achieving your athletic goals.

1. Enhance Your Self-Awareness

As discussed several times in utilizing mental strength skills to enhance your sport performance, the critical first step is to become aware…to improve your self-awareness.  This concept is necessary regardless of the mental strength skill being discussed.

You must understand yourself and how you have a tendency to think, act, respond and feel in order to improve yourself and your athletic performance. Make every effort to become more aware of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

2. Figure Out Where You Are Going

If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up someplace else.  Set goals, goals, and more goals.  I’ve covered this subject MANY times so this mental strength skill should be no surprise to you.

In order to have success in your personal athletic performance you have to know what you want to achieve.   Determine here and now where you want to go and what you want to accomplish by the end of 2011.

Then, work backwards and determine what you need to do this month, this week, even today to achieve your long-term goal. Use daily goals as stepping-stones towards your long-term goal.

3. Be Your Own Best Friend

Did you know that individuals have roughly 66,000 thoughts a day and, of these and that 70 – 80% are negative?

This means you need to be vigilant about managing your thoughts and self-talk because it seems that when left “unattended”, the tendency is towards negativity.

So, for the rest of the year commit to monitoring what you say to others and what you say to yourself.  Talk to yourself as if you were your best friend instead of your worst enemy.

4. Be Here Now

Practice and perform in the here and now. It is so easy to get caught up in the past performances and to hold on to past mistakes and the all “should of”, “would of” and “could of.”

There is no changing the past, but there techniques to ‘adjust’ the past and release the negative emotions associated with them…but they are too involved for this article…how’s that for a tease?  So for now, learn from you past, regardless of the outcome and move on.

Also stay away from being caught up in the “might been” and “what if’s.” There is no way of predicting the outcomes from those events with the “what it’s”, you’ll drive yourself crazy!

What you can do right now is take control your thoughts. Direct your physical, mental and emotional energy to what you can control and influence, which is your thoughts and behavior and actions right now. Be here now!

5. Practice Like You Compete

If you are going to expect yourself to compete with focus and intensity, you must practice with focus and intensity. If you are going to expect yourself to perform under pressure, practice under pressure. If you are going to expect yourself to deal with mistakes in competition, use your sports practice to figure out how to physically and mentally deal with mistakes. You get the point…train your mind and body as a single unit and they will respond in competition for you to reach peak performance.

6. Learn lessons

On a regular basis, whether after practice, at the end of each week, or after competitions, evaluate and learn from your athletic experiences. Identify what you are doing well and commit to continuing to do it. Identify what you are not doing well and commit to working on it. Learn from good practice and poor practice, from good competitive performances and not so good performances and apply these lessons to your future athletic performance

7. Have fun

Need I say more?

Have thoughts about these tips?  Please let me know in the comments below.