WHAT IS IN YOUR CONTROL? 

Focus on what you can't control and feel that anxiety and stress go into overtime.

It's like a someone is squeezing the air out of our lungs and our heart is pounding at a rate that is putting us in a state of panic.

It is literally one of the worst feelings...ever! And is the fastest way to a less than desirable outcome as an athlete.

So let's learn how to reel this in and focus on what we can actually control. 

Elements we cannot control as athletes vary such as judging, the weather, conditions (the course, the waves, etc.) our fellow competitors performance, the list goes on. 

And when we put our focus on these elements, these uncontrollable's, we are making three critical errors:

• We take our head out of the game and the present moment
• We create negative emotions 
• We set up ourselves up to lose before we even compete

This is where we have to shift from focusing on what we are concerned about to focusing on what we can influence. 

Preparation: This is FULLY in our control as athletes. From training in the gym and practicing in less than favorable conditions, mindset and visualization, to pre-competition rituals, when you prepare you feel more in control because you have thought through every scenario ahead of time. 

Effort:  When we put in consistent effective effort we build unshakeable confidence.  When dedicated time is put in to mastering skillsets, refine techniques and tricks, to create a strategy to deal with what can "go wrong" this is when as athletes we go from good to great. It is the confidence in knowing we have given it our ALL, maxed out effort on every level. 

Attitude: Here lies the game-changer. Either live in a fixed mindset, where you blame others, view feedback as a personal attack, avoid challenges due to fearing failure, and worry about being judged by others OR shift your attitude to one of a growth mindset. Seeing challenges and failures as an opportunity to improve, know that your effort will lead to eventual mastery, and seek out feedback as a tool to level up. Choosing to focus on the positives from the day, identifying the wins, and having the confidence in your abilities to learn and grow. 

When we shift our focus on what we can control, our preparation, our effort, and our attitude we become athletes who are in control of creating their own luck. 

Author: Sue Izzo