Critical Sports Performance

Introduction
Last week, I was watching the US Olympic Trials for Track and Field. It was a great event. As a long-distance runner, I loved watching the distance events. Most of them came down to a kick down the final stretch and that leaves me on the edge of my seat. As a Performance Coach, I love watching the sprints and hurdles. Those athletes are so technical and their movements are beautiful. One thing that I loved about the trials was hearing the winners’ interviews. One thing that all the medalists had in common was their mindset. 

Mindset
Mindset is a collection of beliefs, feelings, and ideas about ourselves and the world. Our mindset can determine what we will excel at and what we will struggle with. 
I’ll give you an example. In school, I was forced to take a foreign language. I first started taking Spanish when I was in 8th grade. I was a smart kid. Math and science came easy to me but I struggled with Spanish. I tried but it didn’t go well. My grade told me that I was no good at Spanish. Fast forward a few years to my Sophomore year of college. I was required to take Spanish again. At that point in my life, I had found a few strategies to help me study that had worked in other classes. I finished that semester with a C- in Spanish. The lowest final grade I got in any of my college classes. The problem was my mindset. I had predetermined myself to fail because I thought I was not good at Spanish.  

The Mindset of an Olympian
One thing that all the medalists had in common was their mindset. They all went to the trials with the belief that they were good enough to make the team. They also trusted the training they had done in preparation for the event. They knew that the years of consistent work would set them up for success at their trials and hopefully the Olympics. 

Adopt the Mindset of an Olympian
A change in Mindset may not get you to the Olympics but it can help you achieve your goals. You just need to adopt a mindset that will set you up to grow to the level that you can achieve your goals. 
1)Find your goal: The first step is to establish a goal. This doesn’t have to be anything crazy like breaking a world record. This could be to break 20 minutes in a 5k or bench 225. Ask yourself “What do I want to accomplish” and pick something specific to you.  Make sure this is a goal that will inspire you to get better. Don’t select something that you already can do. Challenge yourself!
2) Say You Can: The next step is to get your mind to believe it. This will utilize two of the most powerful words in English. Grab a piece of paper and write “I CAN __.” In the blank, you will write the goal that you created in the previous step. You will keep this someplace that you can easily view so you can keep this in mind. Bonus points if you read it at least twice a day.
3) Create a plan: You want to establish a program that is specific to your goals. If you want to squat 400 pounds, hitting arms four days a week may not be the best use of your time. Instead, squat heavy and pick isolation movements that work the weak point of your squat.  
4) Trust the Process: Now that you have the plan you can start to take steps to help you grow. You need to understand that you won’t achieve your goals in one day. If you do then your goals are too small. Every time that you see your “I CAN” statement or follow your program is a step towards your goal. Be consistent and eventually, you will achieve your goals. 

Conclusion
Mindset is the secret that is keeping you from achieving your performance goals. Now that you know the secret to success then apply it. Find your goal and create your “I CAN” statement. If you need help creating a program then DM me on Instagram @coachchrisskibinski.