In other to (W)In the Moment, you must first be IN the Moment.
As I watched The Player’s Championship from TPC Sawgrass Golf Course, on the 2nd day Webb Simpson led by 7 shots, within striking distance of the hallowed 59 shots for a round of golf. He was now on the Par 4 17th Hole – the Island Hole – the green surrounded by water – intimidating & nerve wracking.
For a golfer, this is the ultimate test of nerves and mental toughness. Simpson’s first shot hit in the front, on the wood surrounding the green, bounced high, landed and rolled off the back edge into the water. Moving to the drop zone, he had to do it again and this time his ball landed safely.
Nerves of steel? That’s probably a good description. He recovered on the 18th and on Saturday played another great round. He won on Sunday.
It’s not our mistakes that define us. It’s what we do after the mistake that reveals our mental toughness.
As a coach, what do you do to keep your athletes focused on the moment before them, rather than a mistake from the past, however close that past is?
You, the Coach, have a profound influence on the mental toughness of the athletes you serve. Because practice is 90% physical and 10% mental and that flip flops in competition, where it is 10% physical and 90% mental, there are some key things you can do for your athletes in the pressure of competition.
One action sits above all others. Athletes regularly identify SELF-TALK as the first key they need to attack to reach their peak performance. A Coach’s words, therefore, become instrumental.
I ask athletes what they would think if a Coach said to them: “You can’t do anything right! What are you doing out there? That is not the way you have learned! I can’t believe you!”
Then I ask: “How many of you say those things to yourself?” Most say: “at least some or a lot of the time.”
Being (W)In the Moment requires positive self-talk. Here’s one thought about how you can help: avoid the word “should” and replace it with “could.” The impact is astounding. Self-talk becomes more positive because “could” owns the blame whereas “should” acts like a battering ram demonstrating incapability. “Could” is a step toward the possibilities, whereas “should” lead to feelings of judgment and failure.
Said another way, people already know what they “should have” done. A great Coach or mentor will tell them “you could have” and now “you can.”
Once “could” has been accepted or answered, then ask: “How would you do it differently next time?” When a Coach is (W)In the Moment, you can help your athletes be (W)In the Moment. It can start with you.
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