Shaun Smith is the founder of Absolute Mental Training and provides The Goalie Guild with a weekly column that is posted every Tuesday. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email him at ssmith@absolutementaltraining.com!

THE POWER OF SELF-BELIEF

I have worked with many good young athletes throughout the years who although were good could never become great. At a young age they were well above their peers. Yet, as they got older they faded into the sunset and were unable to make their dreams a reality. For every great athlete who makes it to professional sports there are thousands of athletes who will experience the heartbreak of not realizing the ultimate goal of becoming a professional athlete. So what is it that many of these athletes fail to have that stops them from reaching their full abilities? Is it skill? No. Is it technique? No. Is it physical attributes? No.

Here’s the kicker: Athletes who become professional athletes do so not because of the hours of training. This is the biggest myth in sports. Every day I am amazed by the number of athletes who commit fully to their sport and yet their hours of training are not enough to ensure that they experience success within their sport. Frustrated by the hours of training that they put in many of these athletes often quit, but it doesn’t have to be this way. The problem is that too much glamour has been put into practicing hard and yet the most important ingredient in success is still being missed.

So what is the secret ingredient that is being ignored? Self belief. Take a look at any successful team or great athlete and you will be able to find a belief that no matter what happens to the team or individual athlete they have the ability and tools to achieve their goal. Believing in yourself creates a positive self image, confidence in your ability and a winning attitude that cannot be created through training or working on technique alone.

So how does an athlete create and maintain a positive self belief in their ability even when things are not going their way? The answer is to find the root of the problem which is fear. Athletes rarely want to admit it but the truth is that even the strongest of athletes experience fears. Fear of failure and fear of the unknown are the two most common types of fear that hold athletes back from becoming elite athletes. Thoughts like “what if I am not good enough” or “what if I fail to perform at my best” are examples of self doubt which can destroy your confidence and self belief in your abilities. You must admit that as an athlete you do have fears and conquer these fears head on if you hope to be successful.

Athletes who are honest with themselves and admit that they do experience fears will give themselves a chance to conquer their fears and build the confidence in their abilities which will allow them to be successful. Look at all successful athletes when they were in their peak and you will see a belief in their ability that cannot be destroyed by the media or opposing players. If you are looking to be the best in your sport I would strongly recommend a mental training program. Through a mental training program we can build a strong belief in your abilities and allow your natural talent and hard work to flourish. With a variety of programs to match your needs and location we work to ensure that every client experiences success.

Shaun Smith is the founder of Absolute Mental Training and provides The Goalie Guild with a weekly column that is posted every Tuesday. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email him at ssmith@absolutementaltraining.com!