The Biggest Mental Mistake Made by Coaches and Athletes

Summary

In this video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of setting the right goals for athletes. The focus should not be on winning, as this can lead to unnecessary pressure and mistakes. Instead, goals should serve as tools for motivation and preparation during practice, helping athletes train hard and stay focused. Bringing expectations into the game creates stress and can result in either overcompensation or caution. The speaker urges athletes and coaches to avoid overemphasizing outcomes, highlighting that success is a byproduct of preparation and practice, not the sole focus during competition.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focusing on winning is a mistake; it's a byproduct of doing everything else right.
• 😀 Setting winning as the goal creates unnecessary pressure and distracts athletes.
• 😀 The fear of making mistakes and the focus on winning can lead to poor performance.
• 😀 Goals are tools to motivate and guide training, not outcomes to be focused on during games.
• 😀 Expectations should stay in practice, not carried into the high-pressure moments of a game.
• 😀 An internal sense of urgency from focusing on winning can result in overcompensating or playing too cautiously.
• 😀 Trying too hard, or being too tentative, can both disrupt an athlete's performance.
• 😀 If you've done the work in practice, you don't need to put extra pressure on yourself in the game.
• 😀 The mental mistake is to bring the pressure of the outcome into a game situation.
• 😀 Mental preparation for the game is just as important as physical training—trust the process.

Q & A

What is one of the biggest mistakes athletes and coaches make going into big games?

One of the biggest mistakes athletes and coaches make is focusing on the wrong goals when entering big games, such as focusing on winning, rather than the process of playing well.

Why is focusing on winning considered the wrong goal?

Focusing on winning is a byproduct of doing everything right. When athletes focus solely on winning, they can become uptight, distracted, and afraid of making mistakes, which can hinder their performance.

What is the purpose of setting goals for athletes?

Goals are important because they serve as training tools, motivating athletes to work hard during practice. They are expectations that help guide an athlete's preparation rather than outcomes during competition.

What happens when athletes bring their goals or expectations onto the field during a game?

When athletes bring their goals or expectations onto the field, they create an internal sense of urgency, which can lead to stress and pressure. This can cause them to try too hard, play too tentatively, or become overly cautious.

What can happen if an athlete pressures themselves too much during a game?

If an athlete pressures themselves too much, they might either try too hard, causing their timing to be off, or become tight and tentative, playing cautiously and potentially underperforming.

How should athletes approach games differently than practices in terms of their goals?

Athletes should not carry their training goals or expectations into a game. Instead, they should focus on performing naturally, as the work has already been done in practice. The game is about executing what has been practiced without added pressure.

What is the metaphor used to explain how athletes should approach games?

The metaphor compares the game to printing from a computer. The hard work is like programming the computer during practice, and during the game, athletes should simply press 'print,' allowing the results to flow naturally without overthinking.

Why is it important for athletes to avoid thinking too seriously during a game?

Thinking too seriously during a game can shut athletes down by increasing pressure and anxiety. The goal is to keep the mental state relaxed and focused on the task, not the outcome.

What could happen to an athlete if they focus too much on the importance of a big competition, like the Olympics?

If an athlete focuses too much on the importance of a big competition, such as the Olympics, it can create overwhelming pressure and fear of failure, which negatively impacts their performance.

What is the recommended approach for handling the importance of performance in sports?

Athletes should treat practice as the time to focus on the importance of performance, not the competition itself. The hard work and preparation should already be done during training, so the game becomes a time to execute those efforts with confidence.