How to best help athletes help themselves stay committed to their workouts, fitness and competition?
Measurable progress is important to track, no matter how small. Many athletes I work with tend to discount, minimize or invalidate their progress. Other athletes tend to focus on what is not working well rather than switch their focus to what is working well.
Recognize and acknowledge for yourself the small steps in the right direction.
Each of these moments of self-recognition are the building blocks of further progress. Success breeds more success, particularly when you stay focused on it.
Commitment is a type of motivation. It is the ability to stick with a program, method, or philosophy and apply it daily over a long period of time, particularly in times of adversity.
How best to stay committed?
Make a visual of your goal, you can print out the webpage of your next event, and place it where you will see it often. The next step is to align your daily tasks to best help you reach your goal. Prioritize the tasks that lead you to success, schedule them on your calendar, and make sure to get them done prior to your lower priority tasks each day.
Avoid self-sabotage
When athletes are impatient with their own improvements, they do themselves a disservice. Many athletes want a quick fix to a problem. There is no magic wand when it comes to self-improvement and skill development. It takes diligence, effort, repetition, and following the positive progress being made over time. The benefits are well worth the investment.
Another way athletes sabotage themselves is they are afraid of failure, or worse they believe they are failures. Nothing interferes with success more than a poor self-concept and fear of failing. Athletes miss opportunities for important personal growth and learning when they’re afraid to make mistakes, or worse believe they are a mistake. Failure is our best teacher, our deepest source of strength and we must learn to fail over and over again, each time learning from our errors, making adjustments and moving forwards to a better place. In fact, don’t even use the word “fail” it carries such negative connotations. They’re simply life lessons. Discovering your own intrinsic value is crucial for optimal sport performance and a quality life filled with satisfaction. Everyone has strengths and resources within and when properly applied will help them become successful.
There is no guarantee you will reach your outcome goals you set for yourself. However, when athletes learn to appreciate the process of developing themselves into better athletes and people, over time, they’re able to achieve many realistic goals. More importantly the athletes with whom I work, discover a broader perspective and deeper understanding about how they operate and who they are. Winning isn’t only defined by a trophy, medal, or standing on a podium. An athlete also wins when they’ve generated a quality, functional, effective life full of deep satisfaction.
Want to live a life you fully love, that is living in your TRUE FORM. call coach Karen 520-955-9503
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