Mental toughness and resilience are taking a front seat at nearly every level of sport. Commentators mention it much more than just a few years ago. I’m here to answer the BIG questions when it comes to mental toughness and resilience and what impact mental training truly has on athletes’ performance.

Solved Mystery

For decades the mystery of peak performance was unsolved. Coaches, athletes, trainers wanted to know…

• Why do some athletes reach their potentials and others don’t?
• Why do some athletes crave challenges and others shy away?
• Why do some athletes crumble under pressure while others thrive?
• Why do some athletes bounce back from failure and others implode?

In the 1930s, a few athletic organizations started to find answers in the field of psychology. Since then, the science and practice of the mental game in sports has grown tremendously – especially in the last 20 years.

Eventually researchers identified a psychological profile that appears to correlate with peak performance in most athletes. They found that many elite athletes experience similar qualities when competing at their best:

• Feelings of high self-confidence and expectations of success
• Being energized yet relaxed
• Feeling in control
• Being totally concentrated
• Having a keen focus on the present task
• Having positive attitudes and thoughts about performance
• Being strongly determined and committed

More importantly, numerous studies confirm elite athletes tend to use similar mental tools and skills that result in the qualities above – which elevate performance.

Most importantly, these mental tools and skills are trainable. That’s what mental training is all about.

Mental training focuses on the cognitive aspects of sport to improve how athletes think, make decisions, and respond to challenges they face in their sport.

Does Mental Training Really Improve Performance?

We all agree that the mental game matters. We agree that motivation effects effort. We know that too much anxiety sabotages performance. We know that confidence increases performance. We know athletes need resilience to weather the trails of a long season.

However, what you may be wondering…Does Mental Training Really Work?

In a word, YES!

However, mental training is NOT a magic pill that will transform an athlete’s game overnight.

Like learning any new sport skill or technique, mental training teaches athletes tools and skills that take time and practice to learn how to use and master so you can rely on them when it counts.

An investigation reviewing 56 studies found that mental training positively impacts athletic performance at every level of athlete development (i.e., not just beginners or just professionals).

A 2009 study found that mental training programs that teach athletes multiple tools and skills often have a significant positive impact on athlete’s performance and mental toughness.

Mental Training: The Next Revolution in Athlete Development

Not to be confused with fad diets or even scientifically proven training technology, mental training is the fastest growing area of athlete development. No longer taboo (see shrinks in baseball article), mental training has become mainstream. Like specialized physical training, nutrition, or sport-specific coaching (like a hitting, swing coach, or shooting coach), mental training is the next big revolution in athletic development (and it isn’t really NEW).

• In the latest MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement players negotiated for Sport Psychology services to be offered by every club.
• At least half Half of NBA teams employ or consult with a mental training professional (as of 2015).
• Olympic athletes have year-round access to mental training, including on-site during world championships and Olympic Games.
• Many European football associations require mental training with their academies.

• Michael Jordan had George Mumford
• Joe Maddon (and most recently the Chicago Cubs) had the legendary Ken Ravizza until he died in 2018, now has Bob Tewksberry
• Tom Brady has John Sullivan
• Alabama Football has Trevor Moawad
• Clemson Football has Milt Lowder
• The list goes on and on…

Don’t let your athletes get left behind!

Special Invitation

Do you want to know more about the mental game? Do your athletes struggle mentally? Do your athletes need to improve their mental game? Do you want to know how to help your athletes build mental toughness? Do you want tangible tools to help you coach the mental game?

If you answered YES! to any of those questions, then I invite you to check out a FREE Webinar I’m offering: How to Transform Your Athlete’s Mental Game – 3 Strategies for Coaches at Every Level.

Mental Training Matters

While mental training is becoming mainstream at the professional levels, there’s no reason for athletes to wait. The sooner athletes start to train the mental game the better. I wish I’d known about mental training as a high school athlete or even earlier.

The mental game matters. Help your athletes develop the mental tools and skills they need to excel – on and off the court, field, and ice.