Inside the Head
This post is about mental toughness and how to achieve it. You might find yourself pondering, “What is mental toughness?” Mental toughness is “having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to:
1. Generally cope better than your opponents do with the many demands (e.g., competition, training, lifestyle) that are placed on you as a performer
2. Specifically, to be more consistent and better than your opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident, resilient, and in control under pressure” (Jones et al, 2002)
CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS
The mentally tough competitor is self-motivated and self-directed. He doesn’t need to be pushed from outside as he is able to control himself from the inside. He is in complete control of his emotions and doesn’t let outside factors bother him. He is positive and realistic about his goals and success. He is generally calm and relaxed under pressure situations as well as being mentally ready and confident.
Fundamental areas of mental toughness are:
· Self-Confidence
· Self-Motivation
· Negative Energy Control
· Positive Energy Control
· Attention Control
· Visual/Imagery Control
· Attitude Control
Self-Confidence: It is a way of feeling. You can develop self-confidence by positive self-talk and to believe in your self no matter what challenges you face.
Self-Motivation: It is a source of positive energy. It helps you to be able to endure pain, emotional stress, and personal sacrifice. If you have a problem with motivating yourself, write your goals out on a piece of paper and put it somewhere so you see it everyday. My goal is to become a state champion in wrestling, so I taped up this year’s state bracket in my locker to remind myself of what I am shooting for.
Negative Energy Control: It is controlling negative emotions like fear, anger, envy, and frustration. If you perform with negative energy, you will find yourself very inconsistent. To overcome negative energy, you want to increase your self-awareness.
Positive Energy Control: It is the ability to become energized with joy, determination, and team spirit. It helps players to maintain the required arousal level to achieve peak performance. However, you do not want to become too positive, as it may result in cockiness, which can get you into trouble.
Attention Control: It is the ability to tune what is important and what is not important. It helps you block outside sources as you rise up to hit the game-winning shot or to get the takedown at the end of the match to win a state championship.
Visual/Imagery Skills: It is process of creating pictures or images in mind. This is one of the most powerful techniques to develop mental toughness as it connects the mind and the body. You want to envision yourself doing something amazing, and once you do so, you will find it is much easier to work towards that goal.
Attitude Control: It is a reflection of the player’s habits and thoughts. Having the correct attitude helps you to focus your mind and to not get down on yourself when you mess something up.
