The difference between finishing first and placing last can often be measured in inches, milliseconds, strides or strokes. In horse racing, a length or fraction of a length translates into thousands of dollars. In football, an inch or two could mean a state, division, or national title. To an Olympian, it could be a lifetime of work. Most athletes playing at peak performance basically have the same tools but only one individual wins. The winner appears to be the athlete with the most desire and best focus. Small differences create a large edge towards winning.
The Best Athletes
The best athletes are totally committed with clearly established goals for success. For a significant period, everything in their life revolves around training and competition. “Their athletic goal is the most important goal in their life,” said Dr. Terry Orlick, a sports psychologist.
Five Elements for Success
There is a striking consistency of certain success elements observed for virtually all the best performers in all sports. These success elements are:
1. Quality training - with mental preparation for training. Imaging or thinking what they wanted to accomplish the night before, the morning of, and on the way to training.
2. Clear Daily Goals - the athletes know what they want to accomplish each day, workout, sequence, etc.
3. Imagery Training - athletes have well-developed imagery skills and use them daily. They use imagery to: 1. Prepare for training for their event 2. Perfect skills during training 3. Make technical changes 4. Imagine success in competition 5. Achieve their ultimate goal.
4. Simulation Training - the best athletes approach everything as if they were in competition. They often wear in practice what they would wear in a game. They prepare like each practice was the main event.
5. Mental Preparation for Competition - the best athletes develop a systematic approach for drawing upon their strengths during important competitions. They use a: 1. Pre-competition plan 2. Competition focus plan 3. Procedure for competitive evaluation 4. Plan for dealing with distractions.
Mental Readiness –
highest and only significant predictor of success
In Orlick & Partington’s study*, athletes were asked to think back and rate their degree of physical, technical and mental readiness prior to a crucial heat or final event. Of these three readiness factors, the athletes rated themselves least ready mentally. Yet, the highest and only significant predictor of Olympic success was mental readiness.
Ninety-nine percent of the athletes in the study reported using mental imagery. As a preparation strategy, the athletes used mental imagery, on the average, once per day, four days a week, for approximately 12 minutes each time. Some even practiced two to three hours. If this imagery is of high quality, which includes “feelings” in the imagery, and the imagery is easily controlled, males performed better. Males also performed better if they had good mental focus immediately before competition.
Conclusion
To achieve high levels of success, the athlete must:
1. Exhibit total commitment to excellence.
2. Pursue quality training.
3. Use quality mental preparation.
About the Author: Dr. Raymond J. Petras specializes in elite sports performance & injury management. He is an international lecturer, author, professor, researcher and world cup team doctor. His work encompasses most sports from young amateur athletes, Olympic and professional, as well as the business and the medical communities. He is available for individual or team consultation and may be reached at 1.888.447.1429 or email drpetras@reliefforyou.com. More information is available on his website www.reliefforyou.com, blog.reliefforyou.com or YouTube.com (type relief4u2 in the search bar).
*(Information for this article obtained from Mental Links to Excellence, Drs. Terry Orlick & John Partington, The Sport Psychologist, 1988, 2, p. 105-30). Based on a study of 235 Canadian Olympic athletes.