This week’s edition of the Competitive Advantage newsletter is brought to you by Momentum Labs.
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Building Resilience from the inside out with your athletes.
I completed my Certified Mental Performance Consultant designation during the summer. It has allowed me to broaden the scope of the athletes I work with. I am grateful that Momentum Labs has provided me with the opportunity to work with a diverse group of young athletes playing a variety of sports across North America.
It has confirmed what I have seen in my athletes on the basketball court.
Sport carries an outsized impact on the identity and self-worth of young athletes.
Coaches who can understand how this impacts their athletes will gain a competitive advantage. They will have a greater understanding of what motivates their athletes and understand how struggles impact them.
When an athlete's indentity is tied closely to their identity it may have the following impact on them:
1.) Turns each game or competition into a referendum on who they are as people.
Athletes perceive a bad performance or result as evidence that they are not good people or impacts their feelings of self-worth.
2.) Leads to a threat response.
When an athlete's self-worth is tied to their sport, it increases their anxiety and nervousness before a game. The threat of a loss threatens their identity.
This leads to athletes who play tight and hesitantly due to the fear of failure and self-judgement, which is especially true during crunch time.
3.) Undermines their Confidence.
Self-Confidence isn't taken away by others. Confidence can only lost at the individual level.
There are four main pillars of self-confidence: 1.) Past performance 2.) Doing the work 3.) Believing success is possible 4.) Sense of Belonging & Safety
An unhealthy athletic identity undermines an athlete's feelings of safety and belief in their ability.
4.) Prevents them from playing freely in the present.
An athlete whose identity is tightly tied to their sport will constantly be worried about past performance and future opportunities.
Their head and feet are never in the same place. They worry about so many variables outside of their control.
Playing free from worry and focusing on the controllables are two key characteristics of flow states. Athletes who are preoccupied with the past and future often miss opportunities to play great in the present.
5.) Negatively Impacts their Mental Health.
A string of bad games can seriously impact the mental health of a young athlete
The weight of an unbalanced identity can lead to depression and anxiety. An athlete whose mental health is tied to their performance will be an emotional roller coaster during the season.
How can coaches help?
When I talk to coaches the number one skill they want to develop in their athletes is Mental Toughness.
If you've read this newsletter you will know this is not a term I use often. It's vague and lacks a clear definition.
When I probe coaches further, what they want is resilient athletes.
They want athletes who are able to keep fighting through the ups and downs of competition, and who power through adversity.
This is work that has to be done from the inside out. Athletes need to reflect and explore who they are at a base level. Sports is an important part of any young athlete's life. But for many it's the dominant factor in who they are.
I am 51. I have experienced a lot in my life. Sport has always been a big part of it but it does not define me. Young athletes lack that life experience so it is easy to see why sport carries so much weight in their lives.
Often it represents the most significant investment of time, energy and work (and parents' money) in their young lives.
I firmly believe that coaches can help their athletes explore their relationship with their sport and how it helps shape their identity.
A podcast I recently listened to resonated with me and provided me a framework that the athletes I have been working with have founded very helpful.
Three prominent CMPC's from the world of MLB baseball, Zach Brandon from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ceci Craft from the Phillies and Bernie Holliday from the Pittsburgh Pirates discuss how they help their athletes handle the challenges of competition using the metaphor of a tree. It is a GREAT episode. I think I have listened to it four teams and have a ton of notes from a 30-minute podcast
Helping your athletes understand they are like an oak tree.
Athletes need to understand that they are like a tree. Able to withstand a storm because they possess a broad and strong root system that anchors them.
The key is helping them understand what anchors them.
They need help exploring their values, non-negotiables and the specific things they love about their sport.
Here is what I have been using to help athletes recognize what helps them weather the storm.
How to help Athletes Explore what Anchors them.
1.) List five values that they feel represent who they are.
2.) List three parts of their lives that are non-negotiable and cannot be threatened by sports.
3.) What are two things they love about their sport regardless of performance or outcome.
4.) Create one statement that summarizes their previous three.
Joing the Competitive Advantage Coaching Community
So far 60 coaches have joined and have started sharing how they coach the whole athlete. I am leaving registration open until we hit 100 coaches. At this time registration will close for the winter.
The Community will create an advantage for members by providing access to:
- Curation of the best coaching Podcasts, videos, books and other resources
- Courses designed to help coaches improve in all five of the pillars
- Weekly Zoom gatherings on relevant topics
- Insightful Guest Speakers
- 25 years of coaching resources ready to use with your team.
- Maybe even a few X's & O's
Let's build something great that unites and supports as many coaches as possible.
How can I help you on your coaching journey?
Let's work together.
I would love to help you or your team build a competitive advantage. Here are a few ways I can help:
- Join our community
- Consult with your team or coaching staff
- Teach mental skills to your team via Zoom
- Work 1 on 1 with coaches
- Work 1 on 1 with athletes
Shoot me an email I love to talk coaching and see how I can help you.
Coaching is hard, let's make it easier.
Send me an email at jasonpayne@evolutionmpc.com
Thanks for reading and have a great week.
