Use a winning mentality to improve at sport and life

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At the highest levels of competitive sports where the skill gap is so close, it’s often the winning attitude that takes the lead. This article is going to identify why having a winning mindset and confidence in your abilities allows you to utilize your skills more effectively. These same tactics can be utilized to improve your confidence and success in life.

A lot of times, sport mentality is left simply to mental focus, and positive visualization. Taking it to the next step with a winning mentality allows you to be confident in your skills allowing you to see more opportunities for success and act on them. Using a real world workplace example: if you were concerned about the quality of your work you might not try anything new or high level. However if you were confident that your work was high quality you would be less concerned with it’s approval and work towards innovative ideas to showcase your skills.

Another really great example is found in the mental game of Poker. At the top tables in the world the skill levels are so close that it’s often psychological analysis and confidence that will win those close hands. Deception, reading other people’s emotions, and utilizing past interactions all plays into that confidence of knowing you’ll make the right decision with the information you have.

In Poker there is a term referred to as “tilting” where players let their emotions affect their play and confidence. Here is a video better explaining the thought process behind emotional tilt and how to avoid it in sport and life.

 

It comes from within

The simple breakdown of this concept is that if you expect to win then you will be less focused on small interactions and trust your instincts and skills. This will let you see opportunities for success as you no longer doubt your abilities. This inner confidence starts with you and deals largely with your own self-image which is why there is a lot of crossover from sport, life, and overall success.

You should always think highly of yourself in a positive manner. You may have heard fake it til you make it but it’s true – the benefits of being self confident are so widespread that if you need to try tricks and tactics to get it to work for you then so be it.

 

Application

Does that mean you have to fake it forever? No of course not – you should truly be looking to improve your skills as it’s said practice breeds confidence. Quoting Georges St-Pierre:

“I make my training so hard that it’s impossible that the fight will be harder than my training.”

What way to better belive in yourself than practice so hard that there’s no possible way the real thing can be harder? Practicing hard and improving yourself can prepare you with the confidence you need to succeed when it matters.

 

It’s also important to set yourself up for success so you can in the end succeed and do well. Taking on challenges that are realistic whether it’s in sport or life will give you the confidence you need to build a “winning culture”. Of course it’s logical that nothing will instill more confidence than having a history of winning and doing well. Here’s a quick summary of the information presented here:

  • Being confident in your skills allows you to see opportunities for success
  • Confidence comes from having a positive self-image
  • Practice and train your skills to improve your confidence
  • Set yourself up to succeed in sport and life by taking realistic challenges

These tips may seem simple but they are powerful in application. I hope you learned something useful reading this article and that this information can be put to work in your favor.

 

References:

http://mmaquotes.blogspot.ca/2013/05/gsp-on-training-harder-than-fight.html

https://www.pokervip.com/en/coaching-videos/tilt-everything-you-need-to-know

http://jackcanfield.com/visualize-and-affirm-your-desired-outcomes-a-step-by-step-guide/

OliviaEHR
I'm Olivia, a stay at home mother from Australia and I blog at www.EveryHomeRemedy.com. I have a sports science background and attained a Bachelor of Applied Science (Ex. Sci.). I believe in self-sustaining, eco-friendly family life, and I hope to inspire others in their pursuit of the same.