How to Retrain the Negative Athlete Mindset

In much of my writing, I discuss the importance of an athlete’s mindset. We discuss choices, goals, and positive inner dialogue, which can strongly influence an athlete's thought patterns. When there are negative thought patterns, it will ultimately present a physiological response: stress.

Why do I say stress? Because most athletes I work with are stressed—whether about recovering from an injury or making an error when playing.

Source: Laura Miele, PhD

Why Are Athletes Stressed?

As often written in kinesiology and psychology literature, oxygen and blood flow become more restricted when the body becomes stressed. Athletes can make poor choices, take a bad shot, strike out, overthrow a ball, etc. The outcome of these situations is often representative of the inner dialogue that follows a mistake. For example, when a softball player strikes out, some will respond by asking themselves, "What's wrong with me?" or saying "I stink at this game."

I speak to my athletes about seeing the error or situation differently. I ask them to focus on not the negative connotation of "What's wrong with me?" but rather "What did I do to strike out?" or "How did I miss that foul shot?"

Athletes need to learn to ask the why or what questions: "Why did I miss it?" "What can I do to do better?" Then, to take it deeper, ask, "What I can do to relax my mind, trust my body, and just play?"

Controlled Mindset

Questioning one’s abilities is normal, but a constant negative inner dialogue is not; that represents a lack of confidence. Often, I tell my athletes to trust their body-muscle memory. If you have a positive mindset and believe, you can allow your body to do the rest.

Speaking kindly to yourself is more than half of the battle. The choice to be positive and take control of one’s mindset and, subsequently, one’s subconscious is paramount; it is a game changer.

Source: used with permission, Christi Helene

Once an athlete can take control of their inner dialogue and be positive, the journey begins to separate them from other athletes as they elevate their game. They handle the stresses and the mistakes better.

The subconscious only knows what we feed it—so feed it healthy thoughts. And do it repeatedly; repetition is key.

Retraining our thought patterns is not always easy, but it can be done with discipline, mindfulness, and meditation. Train the mind the same as you would train your body.

It is not just about the physical practice. The mind-body connection is real; when athletes realize how well they can work together, their potential can be limitless. The strength of the mind and the belief a person has within oneself is ultimately up to them.

Quite often, I teach my athletes to find something that is a good distraction so that when a negative thought creeps in, they use this to change the pattern of thought. I have also found that in order to change a negative thought pattern recruiting a physical stimulus, i.e. snapping their fingers or clapping their hands forces the mind to shift its senses and buts off that negative thought process.

Source: Used with permission, Vanessa Sarmuksnis

Mental strategies are not one-size-fits-all. Each athlete learns differently, just like in school as a student or at a gym during a workout. Athletes should try different methods that work for them. While mental tools can be universal, it is the implementation of such mental tools that begins the journey of a true mind-body connection.

My next post will discuss why it is crucial for not only young athletes but all athletes to take a mental health day.