Taking shortcuts in life sometimes makes a lot of sense. For example, using a calculator to figure out a difficult math problem saves time (and frustration), and driving through a traffic tunnel rather than going all the way up and down a mountain is a modern-day convenience we all appreciate. The problem, however, is when we take the shortcut route and apply it to everything we do in life, when in fact shortcuts do more damage than good. In sports, mental toughness is a product of putting in the work, not finding shortcuts to get out of doing the work.
Shortcuts in sports
When it comes to sport success rarely do shortcuts come in to play. In fact, ask any great athlete about his or her success and you are almost guaranteed to hear that athlete say “you have to put in the work.”
“Putting in the work” applies to everything you do as an athlete, including the work you put in the weight room, on the practice field, at team meetings, recovering from injuries, and multi-tasking classes, clubs, activities, and family responsibilities with your sport expectations and requirements. While it is possible to cut corners on a lot of these tasks, the only one who gets hurt in the end by doing so is YOU.
Don’t finger point
When athletes come up short there is often an impulse to point the finger outward….at the coach’s bad decision, the official’s bad call, or just “sports politics” as a blanket-statement for overall frustration. A better route to go instead of directing anger at others is to first point the finger at yourself. Did you put in the work? Do all your lifts and runs? Listen diligently at team meetings? Complete all your outside responsibilities so that you kept up on grades, sleep, and proper nutrition?
Most importantly, did you put in the work and avoid taking shortcuts?
Being honest and truthful with ourselves is not always easy, but it is important if we are to truly maximize our abilities in life.
Putting it all together
If you are an athlete serious about success, it is important that you not only adopt the general mindset of “no shortcuts,” but that you also specifically design a schedule that allows you to stay on top of all your goals and expectations.
- Manage your time. Learning how to multi-task is an incredibly powerful skill that works not only in sports, but all areas of life. Learn how to use a schedule and write down all your appointments and commitments, and make a promise to yourself to uphold them all.
- Set goals. You have to have a direction to point your compass, and herein is where goal setting helps. Take time out to write down all of the goals pertinent to your success, and make them specific, measurable, and controllable. Also, keep a running journal along the way to chart your progress and give you confidence moving forward that you can do this!
- Communicate. Successful people often have many “balls in the air,” so to speak, when it comes to the responsibilities they commit to in life. Sometimes schedules become confusing, or events overlap, making it important to learn basic verbal and written communication skills to keep all parties abreast of potential issues and problems.
- Commit to the process. Perhaps most importantly you have to fully commit to the goals you set for yourself, 24/7/365. What this means is there will be tough days you will have to endure and push through, like rainy days when you are supposed to get in a run, or going to practice when you are dealing with body aches and pains.
Final thoughts
There’s a reason why only a select few go on to do great things in sports (and life), and it often comes down to them simply willing to put in the work and avoiding shortcuts that will only minimize their chances for success. The great news here, however, is that you have the same opportunity as anyone else when it comes to developing this type of mindset, and committing to the actions necessary to give you the best chances for success in life. If you truly want it more than the competition and are willing to put in the work, you will be amazed at how much this type of mindset compensates for other variables like speed, strength, endurance, resiliency, and so much more.
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