How mentally tough are you?

How mentally tough are you?

Here is a questionnaire that would help you understand exactly how mentally tough are you.

How Mentally Tough are you?

Becoming Mentally Tough

Do you want to improve the consistency of your performance and fulfil your potential? David Sammel explains some techniques used by elite performers, to help you develop a routine for your match preparation.

You can improve your sporting performance with just 5–10 minutes of practice every day. A statement I often hear from players is:

“If only I had more confidence and was mentally tougher, I would be so much better.”

The implication is that confidence, belief and mental toughness are elusive gifts that only the lucky few possess.

Absolute rubbish!

Some people might be more adept at learning how to succeed at a young age, but it is not beyond anyone to learn how to be mentally tough. A tennis player would never enter a tournament without hitting a ball for 3 weeks, but many athletes enter tournaments without doing any mental practice, yet wonder why their minds are weak. Your mind gets sharp and strong with practice, just as your body gets fit and strong through training.

Thinking like a top performer

Mental preparation falls into two categories:

■ long-term preparation

■ preparing for a match

The steps below will not take hours and are not difficult to do. They require the desire to follow through consistently, applying yourself for 5–10 minutes most days.

Long-term preparation

Understand that confidence, belief and toughness are affected by the way you talk to yourself and by the actions you take. Become your own parent and feed yourself inspiring words to encourage your mental growth into a confident adult. Over 6 months, you can build belief and trust in yourself by repeating on-and off-court positive self-statements.

Find self-statements that lift and energise you. Here are some examples:

• ‘I am good. I can do this.’
• ‘My talent grows every day. I believe in myself and the quality of my practice.’
• ‘I am good enough now. I do not need to think “one day” I will be good enough because I am prepared to fight 100% no matter who I play or where I play and know that this is all I expect.’
• ‘No one point is going to decide the outcome but the last one.’
• ‘This is my day. I will win, or I will learn, so I always win.’
• ‘I love pressure! I love to intimidate opponents with how cool, relaxed, and aggressive I am under pressure.’
• ‘A challenge is fun. Every setback is a new challenge.’
• ‘A problem is just a challenging decision. I will always make a decision.’
• ‘I rarely lose mentally. I’m tough, so my opponent better turn up eager to play.’
• ‘I can see myself relaxed, confident and equal to any player. I congratulate any opponent who on the day or at present plays better than me.’
• ‘Nerves are good. They tell me I’m ready. I also know my opponent will be nervous because we are all human.’ 

I recommend reading through and contemplating your list of statements every day and any time you want a lift.

Try performing your self-statements out loud in front of a mirror, looking straight into your own eyes.

You might feel embarrassed the first few times, but if you can’t do this privately, then how comfortable are you with yourself? It is imperative that you get comfortable with yourself as a person if you are to succeed.

Long‐term preparation is a journey of investigation into yourself, but beware of the ‘always searching’ and ‘complex confusion’ syndromes. Keep your method short and simple. Adjust it with learned experience, and always use a method that suits your personality. Every champion is mentally tough in his or her own way. All humans make mental mistakes, especially under pressure, but champions consistently work to improve because standing still is not an option if you value your position.

Preparing for a match

I cannot stress enough the importance of trying different mental strategies and finding a routine and method that works for you. Every mental skills article, book, seminar and DVD will have similar messages presented in different ways. Use them to find your unique way of becoming mentally tough.

Mentally tough is not ‘trying harder’

Being mentally tough involves making a decision to constantly be constructive during your thinking time. Being mentally tough means accepting the possibility of losing and focusing on an action that you will commit to, fully. Any decision carried out with conviction is harder to beat than tentativeness, fearful play or indecision.

Written by David Sammel