Participating in a sport either competitively or recreationally requires a certain degree of mental strength in order to get you performing at your very best consistently, and it can be challenging to maintain that mindset for long periods of time. As the saying goes, ‘As the going gets tough, the tough gets going.’ It is imperative that every individual is able to summon that mentality during critical periods of their sporting journey regardless of the external circumstances. Without further ado, here are some helpful tips on how to get mentally stronger in order to conquer your sport.
Goal Setting
Mentally strong individuals usually have one thing in common, and that is setting goals for themselves. Goals are extremely important in helping us get mentally stronger because they are what takes us forward in life. By setting goals, our mind is mentally prepared for the future and in turn it gears us up for the tough times to come. You can begin by writing a list of goals that you wish to accomplish along with the steps you intend to take in order to achieve your goal. With this goal in mind, it will give you mental clarity and keep you motivated in your sporting endeavours.
Meditation
If the military does it, then there isn’t a reason why you shouldn’t try it. Meditation has long been linked to increasing one’s mental resilience, along with helping one stay positive despite external factors. If you intend to maximise your mental strength, then a short period of meditation every day would go a long way in strengthening your mind.
Positive Affirmations
Staying positive is not only beneficial for your mental health, but the reduced stress you feel will affect almost everything from the way you carry yourself in the sport, to the way you think while playing the sport. Start by looking in the mirror everyday and reciting a list of positive affirmations to yourself. They have to be realistic when it comes to the type of mindset you wish to have in order to become mentally stronger. If you find that you require more positive affirmations, reading the list before you sleep each night is also recommended.
Self-Awareness
Being self-aware is also one of the key to being a mentally stronger individual. Introspection is a highly important point to practice every now and then so you can review your performance in life, whether you are progressing towards your goal or getting held back by some form of weakness along the way. You can practice being self-aware by contemplating about your performance after each sport activity, reviewing areas where you believe you can do better in and periodically reviewing your goal settings.
At the end of the day, it is imperative that you practice all of these tips regularly in order to continue building upon your mental foundations. Becoming mentally strong doesn’t happen overnight and the earlier you start, the stronger you’ll become and ultimately perform better at your sport.