Mindset Matters! How Mental Preparation Can Help Your Performance

Most athletes solely focus on their athletic abilities and physical preparation when training for a big sports event.

However, according to Psychology Today, internal and external psychological factors play a significant role in ensuring a successful performance.

A negative mindset and psychological disruptions can, at times, have a more severe negative impact on athletic performance than any physical issues.

Mental preparation before the game includes letting go of any stress and anxiety, focusing on the task at hand, and having confidence in your abilities.

It includes being satisfied with your performance in the practice session, listening to music to loosen up, and getting in a good warm-up session before a big game.

Here are some of the benefits of mental preparation on athletic performance:

Boosts your confidence

The number one objective of mental preparation is to boost your confidence in your abilities. By visualizing your performance and success, you can improve your confidence levels and shed any doubts you had in your skills. Having a proper strategy and game plan can also help you maintain the right mindset.

Helps you cope with adversity

Mental preparation also allows athletes to anticipate any challenges they may face from their competitors.

Experienced athletes can use past problems they might have undergone to develop strategies in their minds on how to deal with them better. This will allow them to maintain their composure in the face of adversity.

Improves your focus

On game day, many things can disrupt an athlete’s focus. However, proper mental preparation can help you block out any disruptive thoughts and focus on the present task to ensure great performance.

Being in the right mindset can also help you not to worry about the outcome or dwell on a past mistake while performing.

Although many athletes try to get in the right mindset, they lack the motivation and inspiration to maximize their mental preparation.

If you are looking for inspiration, check out the incredible success story of seasoned skeleton racer, Akwasi Frimpong.

He was the first black male athlete from Africa to participate in the Olympics as a successful skeleton racer. He soon became a racing star and was even dubbed the GoldenSprint. His athletic journey and his performance in various sporting events including, the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics of 2018, are truly inspirational.

Follow his journey as he is all set to take part in the Beijing Olympics 2022!