Why The Mind Leads The Body: 3 Reasons to Boost Your Mental Game as an Athlete

Athletes spend hours in the gym. on the court or field, practicing and perfecting to get their bodies primed for peak performance. And while physical condition is of course vital to an athlete’s performance, there is often something that is overlooked, something that separates the good from the great.

The mental game.

No matter how strong you are physically, you cannot perform at your best if you don’t have the mental game to back it up.

Don’t believe it?

Here’s three reasons why improving your mental game as an athlete will give you an edge over your competition.

1. Mental Fatigue is Real. If your mind isn’t strong, it will fatigue faster, causing you to reach exhaustion sooner than necessary. Athletes that can beat mental fatigue last longer, especially when it comes to endurance sports.
2. Build Confidence. When your mind is trained appropriately, you get the confidence you need to perform well, even in high pressure situations. Athletes that are able to win games in tough situations have confidence backing them at every step.
3. It Kills Negativity. If your mind isn’t in the right state you will find yourself on the slippery slope of negative self-talk. When things get hard or when you make mistakes, you will tell yourself that you can’t do it or aren’t good enough. This is when your competition has the edge.

Your mental game is just as important as your physical game. It’s what gives you the tools you need to keep going even during adversity. 

Keep your mind in shape and your game will improve ten-fold.