A quality that is unable to be quantified and measured in athletes is the ability to "show up" and be competitive. There are a number of terms used for this trait, competitiveness, being a 'gamer', mental toughness, focus, and the list goes on. But what is it exactly? Can it be trained? Is it a situation where you are a product of your environment? I wanted to provide my own take on the issue, so travel along with me as we board the magic school bus towards being a competitor...wait...wrong show...wait...this isn't a show...just keep reading.
Just about every athlete has been there. You have trained well, you are killing it in practices and training, you get onto the track, field, platform, circle, etc and you forget just about every doggone thing that is generally second nature to you. I call this behavior "fear of embarrassment". It could be different for everyone, but in my experience all of these nerves and negative actions come from the (sometimes subconscious) mindset of "oh god, I hope I don't screw up, everyone will look at me like I'm a failure." Or even "If I screw up, I'm letting my entire team, coaches, family, species down". So Number 1 on my checklist of things to help you become a focused competitor...
1. Stay focused only on what you can control for yourself
I say this a lot during practices and competitions. It might be raining out, you might be needing to step up because another teammate is having an off day themselves, there may be scouts watching you. None of those factors can you control. The only actions you can control are your own.
A feeling that adds to the anxiety of competition and contributes to a lack of focus or competitiveness is that you are completely alone, on an island all by yourself. It's obviously not true, but in that moment you feel as though it is you against the world, nothing anyone is saying can help so why even listen to them. So...
2. Use self talk
No, it's not crazy to talk to yourself, it can actually be very beneficial. "Good point, Gregg", why, thank you Gregg. See! Using self-talk can not only help you while you are stressing during competition, it can help you re-focus, reinforce some cues that you need to work on( more on that later) and cause you to relax. If, for instance, you feel pain, soreness, discomfort. Rather than focus on the pain and how it will affect you negatively, talk. Say "ok body, I know you are giving me pain as a warning that something is wrong, but I need to finish this competition". Yeah yeah yeah, it sounds weird, but can actually help you to settle and re-focus your energy and thoughts. Try it a few times.
Another form of "self talk" may not even be considered self talk to some. It's form of meditation and relaxation but also self talk. Before competition (even during competition sometimes), get in a relaxed mode, find your "happy place". Imagine yourself in a place where you are your happiest and most relaxed. While there, imagine talking to someone that you look up to, and who's input you really value. Could be a parent, coach, teammate, even someone you may have never ever met. Whatever your current concern is, ask them about it "Why am I over-rotating; why is the bar too far out in front, why aren't I posting up properly". From there, wait for your answer from that person. Obviously you are answering your own question, but coming from someone you respect and value, it can hold a great deal of importance and do a lot to relax you.
3. Use cues and phrases
This tip may be the most common. "fast pull", "Drive!" "PUSH!", "Accelerate!", "Keep it close!". Any of my athletes have heard these terms many many times. Problem is, sometimes they go in one ear and out the other. During a competition, repeating this, even out loud, can help your focus. Phrases can also be beneficial, and even be repeated on a daily basis. Sometimes these are more difficult to come up with, some coaches and athletes like them to rhyme, but that is up to each individual.
4. Realize that confidence is not a constant state of mind.
This one might be the most difficult for a number of athletes. Sometimes as an athlete you will feel like because something didn't go well, and as a result your confidence has suffered, it can never be regained and you are just having "a bad day". This whole line of logic is entirely fallacious. Realizing that your confidence, as well as your performance, not only fluctuates, but are part of a symbiotic relationship and can be changed in an instant. The best way to regain confidence is to focus on what to correct, correct it, do well, and regain your confidence. On the flip side, using some of these tools to help regain your confidence will also result in an increase in your performance. To put it simply, realize that your situation CAN be improved and work to improve it rather that just accepting that things "aren't going well".
5. Develop a routine and log your focus/attitude
Along with being prepared, having a set routine can help focus and relax you for your competitions. How long you are awake for before you compete, what your warm-up routine is, what music you listen to; all of these things can help you focus and treat your competition as though it is just simply another day of training. Try to come up with a set schedule of what you will do before each competition and stick to it. Use this schedule the week leading up to, day of, and during your competition. I also am a firm believer in athletes logging and keeping journals. Log not only what you did in training and at competitions, but also your emotional state, level of focus, excitement level and other factors. Don't only describe what you are feeling, but evaluate yourself. Were you impatient and combative at practice? Give yourself a poor evaluation. And from there list the steps needed to correct these dysfunctions.
In closing, not everyone will be born with the necessary genetics and skills to become an elite level athlete, however every single athlete can reach their own individual potential. A huge portion of reaching this level is your daily training, but in order to truly excel and improve the athlete needs to spend just as much effort working on being focused and competitive in their competitions. Rare is the athlete that can just show up and put everything on the line, for a majority of athletes great care and preparation need to be spent taught how to compete. I'm bad at conclusions so that's the end of this blog article. Bye. Oh yeah, and try some of the things I recommended here. Hopefully they help.
