Most athletes are very conscious of the foods that they put in their body before, during, and after practice or play, but are unconscious of the words and the mental conversation that is going on inside their head. There is a common saying that almost everyone has heard, “mind over matter”. That begs a very important question. If mind over matter is true, why do we spend the majority of our time thinking about eating and other physical habits and less time on our thinking habits!?
Before you have your next practice, match, or other competition, please remember these simple, healthy thinking habits:
• Be aware of your mental conversation
• Block out the naysayers
“Whether you can or cannot, you’re right”. Most of us our aware of this but on a deeper level have a very hard time accepting this. You have get yourself to really, truly believe that you can do the thing that it is you wish to do. Most of us say we believe but there is still some level of doubt. For this to work, you have to mentally convince yourself of the result you would like to achieve. It is easier to convince your mind, if your body has had some preparation too! This means, you are more likely to get yourself to believe you can achieve your goal when you know you have been taking action and doing the physical things you need to do. When you are physically confident, it makes being mentally confident much easier to do.
Be aware of your mental conversation. Sometimes we are completely unaware of the mental conversation that is going on in our heads. For you to achieve your desired result, you need to make sure the words you are speaking and thinking are in aliment! You cannot verbally say aloud, I think I can win, and then mentally on the inside be calling yourself a loser for missing a single volley. You have to steer your own inner conversation, but moreover, be aware of it! You cannot physically achieve your result, if you mentally believe something different. Word and action must be aligned.
Visualize your success. See and feel yourself achieving the goal you have in your mind’s eye. If it is a practice, this could mean visualizing yourself hitting clean, effortless shots, and moving freely in the way that you desire. There have been many case studies that have proven the results of visualization as having the same effect as if you had a physical practice. So, when it rains, you can still improve your game, mentally, and get the same, if not better results.
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. You have to continually look for ways to win. If one thing did not work, look for another. There are multiple solutions to every problem! Strategic thinkers are much more likely to come away victorious. Do not fall into the trap of believing there is one way to solve a problem. You have to have the ability to keep trying new things, until something works. Furthermore, if something did not work on a particular day or week, it does not mean it won’t work in the future. The important thing is that you come back for more having learned from previous experience. This is what I call the, “it’s not over until I win” mentality.
Block any and everything (and especially anyone) out that can impede upon your positive thinking. It is hard enough to achieve your goals or to win a match without someone saying that you cannot. So, if you encounter negatively, quickly get yourself away or excuse yourself from that conversation, television show, or whatever or whoever may be broadcasting negativity. If you want to achieve your desired results you have to work yourself into a mental laver of positivity.
Your mind is the most important tool you have in determining your success on and off of the court. This has been proven over and over again. We can only be as good or achieve as much as we believe that is possible for ourselves. Use these five simple tips to help protect and nourish your most important asset, no not your forehand, your mind!
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