So, what, do you suppose, it takes to reach and maintain a competitive edge when competing at an elite level of a sporting competition? Training your body is one thing, but your mind is a whole other, separate issue altogether. And still, it is crucial if you, the sportsman or woman, consistently reach the peak of your potential. To get to the bottom of this poser, we have whittled down the main points of maintaining the psyche needed to install that competitive edge and then keep it, either in the face of defeat or consistently driving for success.
Be Passionate
If you even attempt to take on a sport or competition and lack the necessary passion only leads to another nameless player. Passion, also known as a drive, is what will inspire you to work harder and go further. The best footballers make it in professional sports because they put it the extra time after training or even initiate additional sessions to undertake in their time. Talent alone is not enough. It’s passion that makes you want to push yourself harder and achieve your goals to propel yourself beyond the average and into the elite. It makes you get out of bed every morning to improve your skill set. You must have a passion for your sport and to win, which, along with integrity and character, need to be on the top of your list.
Keep Learning
INFOGRAPHIC CREDIT | iPinimg / CC | Be the best you can be.
Firstly, any elite sportsman or woman will tell you that you can’t ever stop learning. That includes masters of their field. Think the Williams sisters, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer or Lionel Messi. These are perhaps the greatest of theirs or any other’s eras in their sport, all arguably the greatest of all time. All of whom who spent more than a decade at the top, who won it all and yet will be the first to admit that there is always something new to learn. With this mindset, these elites never rest on their laurels, accepting that there is always room to improve. This mindset also helps players like these to identify weaknesses, should they possess any, as well as highlight previously thought hidden potential distractions and illuminating remedies that can effectively deal with them.
Believe in Yourself
Arrogance is key. It seems apparent, but you must have faith in your talent and ability to achieve your goals. That, of course, is not to be confused with cockiness, which often serves only to inspire your opponents and typically foreshadows a fall. Instead, self-confidence provides players with a much-needed unshakable belief in one’s abilities. You must have complete faith in yourself, your talent, your abilities and your internal strength if you are to become the best version of you possible. Such, in turn, allows you to achieve your goals as an athlete.
An Optimistic Mindset
Image Credit: Wikimedia / CC 4.0 Caption: One of the world’s most consistent winners: Michael van Gerwen.
Possessing a glass-half-full attitude rather than a glass-half-empty attitude is essential in maintaining a competitive edge in battle. That’s because you will, at times, need to bounce back quickly and resiliently in the face of defeat. Defeat, by the way, is sometimes inevitable, no matter how good you or your team are. It’s the nature of the sport. In poker, the term used is “tilt”. What this essentially means is that people must not let a bad beat (a bad run of luck at the poker table) to get the better of them mentally. Currently, in professional darts, Michael van Gerwen is so far ahead of his rivals that he is considered the outstanding sports star of the moment and still, even as the odds-on favorite week after week, he has still lost to complete outsiders a surprising number of times. Nevertheless, a week later when the trophies are handed out, there he is on the winner’s podium. It’s that ability to lock out previous defeats and keep a clear head and positive attitude that allows him to make winning titles look little more than routine. To that end, if you want to excel, then you, too, need to have a positive outlook that allows you to bounce back sharply, regroup and push on for the win.
Persistence Pays
You must keep trying in sports. Michael Jordan admits he missed 9,000 shots, 26 winning games, 26 winning shots and sadly, lost 300 games. Still, as the six-time World Champion said, “I failed over and over, that is why I succeeded.” According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, many sportsmen and women traditionally dedicate a considerable amount of their time to improving their physical conditioning when it comes to a sport. However, you must never overlook the importance of psychological preparation, which can be as critical. Every player will encounter pressure when playing a sport. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boxing contender competing for a championship belt or a world-class poker player playing Texas Hold’em or Omaha Hi Lo in a poker tournament, you need to dig deep every time you play, pushing yourself harder than you ever have before.
Become a Perfectionist
It is imperative that you must consistently strive to improve your weaknesses and build upon your strengths to become the best of the best. After all, did you get to where you are now by being complacent and doing things in a slack way? Of course, not. If you are to be a successful athlete, then perfecting your skills and honing your talent is an essential ingredient to any success that you hope to achieve. Utilizing the above-listed attributes gives you the heart of a champion and instills a winning mentality into your heart and will ultimately help you grow as an athlete or, who knows, even a poker player.
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