Ever lose your temper playing sports? Most of us have and it usually never ends up with a positive outcome. Well in sports losing your cool can have devastating results. So how do elite athletes control their tempers?
How do your athletes act when they are provoked or teased? Reacting out of anger has brought down even the best of athletes.Watch the video to build mental endurance and know how to maintain your cool.
In this video, Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer shares some mental strength secrets and how elite athletes deal with frustration and anger…
Secrets Of Elite Athletes
It’s the World Cup and David Beckham is playing brilliantly against Argentina. In the second half, Beckham was fouled by midfielder, Digeo Simeone , who rammed him in the back and knocked him down. Beckham, while still lying on the ground, retaliated in anger with a kick, right in front of the referee.
He was kicked out and England was forced to play with only 10 men the rest of the game. They ended up losing in a penalty shoot out.Beckham’s momentary loss of control cost England its chance to win the most important game of the year.
Being able to maintain control is one of the most important tools an elite athlete can possess and it is going to happen to you at some time. It is a secret because most athletes think the opponent is on the other team…
The truth is the real opponent is always you vs. you and your mind. Any loss of control can disrupt not only your performance, but your entire teams as well, as we saw in the Beckham incident. The great news is that you can be in control anytime you want if you commit to some simple mental drills with the same determination, you use to develop your physical skills.
Soccer and really any sport, is an emotional game and players must go into a game prepared for cheap shots and trash talking. Sometimes, it may not even be just your opponents that trigger a loss of self-control. Coaches, teammates and even your own thinking can be just as destructive, if not more.
One strategy to being in control is to have a plan in your head for what you will do when the inevitable trash talking or foul happens. Before you ever step on the field, you must mentally practice how you want any situation to play out that leads you to getting your best results.
To do this, think about times in the past when you have lost control and examine why it happened. It does not matter if it happened in practice, scrimmaging or in a game.
As you think about those times, ask yourself what really caused you to lose control?When you figure that out, and then question yourself about your reaction…
Was it worth it? What did I gain from that? Did I really have to lose it like that? Could I have done something different? Could I have ignored it?
Now here is the important question, “How could I handle myself differently the next time something like this happens?”
Your plan will start to formulate and I recommend you actually write it down or journal your findings and commit yourself to this new way of handling yourself.
You’ve got to make this a high priority just like you do with your training and conditioning. Remind yourself of the benefits, not only to yourself, but your teammates in developing this mental fitness secret.
Having self-control means not letting your emotions sidetrack you in competition. It is hard to fight your emotions in
the heat of the battle. You will most-likely have the ability to keep your wits, if you follow the plan you developed and practiced in your mind.
There are athletes that are victims of their thoughts and emotions and then there are the elite athletes who master them. Which side will you be on?
After the big loss to Argentina, Beckham was trashed in the British papers. Soccer fans throughout the country were throwing darts at his picture and he faced boos everywhere he went the next season.
As you know, he exhibited extreme mental endurance by coming back strong and becoming one of the most popular players in the sport. The other mental toughness secret is to NEVER give up…on yourself!
Let’s do this
Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer