Developing Mental Toughness For Racing And Life
Mental toughness plans require customization to the unique needs of each person. Everyone has their own DNA. Therefore, a mental toughness plan is needed that aligns with the individual's unique personality and abilities.
Each person must find their own "why" for training and racing. Knowing and understanding your why and the greater purpose behind running and racing is crucial to a breakthrough.
When things get tough in life, you must have a vital purpose behind what you are doing to get through the rough patches.
A One Size Fits All Approach Does Not Work
A one size fits all mental toughness approach touted in many media sources won't work long-term. Mental Toughness training is an unforgettable individual adventure requiring deep thought and commitment. Developing a unique mental toughness plan for each person is a must, not a want. That's why I offer to help each person develop an individual mental toughness plan through a competitive profile assessment.
The Assessment helps you develop what I call "Level 10" mental toughness. Level 10 is the highest level of mental strength and helps take you closer to your God-given potential.
It takes 10 minutes for a person to complete the assessment, and then we work on acknowledging your strengths and overcoming your core weaknesses with an individualized plan.
One Simple Illustration That Shows How We Are Different
I conducted a mental toughness experiment years ago. We
asked runners what encouraging words they liked to hear during workouts
and races. Some students said they like no words at all. The runners wanted to focus on training or
racing and tune out everything else. Others wanted you to tell them exactly what pace
they were on in a race. Still, others preferred strong words of encouragement as
much as possible during the entire workout or race.
Almost no two athletes were the same in the words or actions they wanted to hear from their coaches during workouts or races. And the athlete's inner dialogue as they learned how to push through tough spots in workouts and races was much different.
Having exceptional "mental toughness phrases" for tough patches in races and workouts helps others reach their God-given potential.
Sometimes the phrase is a Scripture; other times, it's a quote from a famous athlete the person respects; still, other times, it's a phrase the athlete comes up with themselves, or it's a combination of all of the above.
Being a faith-based school, I focus our discussion on specific Scriptures to help individuals get through their training and racing tough spots. The feedback I receive is that the Scriptures help the athlete push through the challenging areas of training and racing.
As a side note, mental toughness preparation through running and racing translates into character building that lasts a lifetime if done well, especially in high school when there is still an openness to breaking through significant life barriers.
Teaching mental toughness skills through cross-country and track is excellent preparation for sports and life.
In summary, learning how to create individualized mental toughness plans is a must, not a want, when helping others reach their God-given potential. Everyone has their own DNA, which requires a customized plan for success.
Identifying strong "why's behind your training and racing helps you improve dramatically—completing a simple competitive profile assessment that identifies your strengths and weaknesses can improve your mental strength dramatically.''
You will also discover your "why" behind your training and racing more fully.
Taking the extra time to know a person's unique inner story is critical to long-term success. When someone's internal dialog transforms into more positive and life-giving thoughts, many more things become possible in life.
Blessings,
Coach Weber
Philippians 4:13
Matt Centrowitz winning Gold in the 1500 meters at the Olympics. In my mind he won not only because of his race tactics but also because of his no fear attitude when leading from the front.
Photo Credit: NBC Sports
My Favorite Scripture