Wednesday, September 28, 2011

It's Show Time! Is Your Head in the Game?

by Kris Pitcher

It's your big day! It's show time! You've trained hard, long and smart. Now it's time to put it all together for the big day. Whether it's a tournament, triathlon, or you're hitting the physique stage (like me!) all your training comes down to...right now.

Athletes with similar skills are often separated by mental preparedness. Getting your head in the game is part of training for your big day. An athlete who is consumed with anxiety, tension, fear and worry is going to have a difficult time.

If you are worried about what others might think about your performance, or if you don't feel fully confident it's going to mess with your head. Being able to put a hush to the mental chatter going a mile a minute, and to the fear of failure will make or break you on your big day.

Being mentally prepared means letting the pressure go. When we are focused on a certain outcome we miss out on the actual "doing" of whatever the event is. The reality is you have to do well in your event to have a solid outcome. Focus on your objective, short term to get you where you need to be. This may mean breaking it down into small sequences for success.

The work is done. Feel confident in what you have done to get you to game day. In my case, getting to the stage - the work is done and the final week is about fine tuning and tweaking. It's about rest, macro nutrient manipulation and hydration. It's about getting my head straight. I feel fully confident in the work I've done to get me here. My journey has been spot on.

Trust your skills and accomplishments. Again, feel confident in your ability to "do" your event. You are ready to execute, trust that. And finally, embrace your nerves. This is great energy to harness!

When you feel confident, this energy turns into a powerful positive force for you to use toward your objective and thereby getting you to the outcome you want. Remember to include your mental preparation into your plan as you get ready for your big day. It will help you enjoy the  main event.  

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