While at Junior Nationals, I observed many swimmers that were very talented AND many swimmers that lacked talent. The ones with less talent were able to qualify for the meet due to their work ethic and mental toughness. This is not to say the talented swimmers don’t work hard or aren’t tough, but rather it is to highlight the fact that the “I am not talented enough” mindset is bogus.
Hard work and mental preparation are two variables swimmers can control. The swimmer’s God-given talent can’t be changed… but that should not prevent him/her from achieving great things in this sport.
Mental preparation can begin at a young age. If swimmers can work on the mental side, they will be in a much better position for success. Strong mental preparation has many benefits. TrueSport highlighted the following five:
Increased mental toughness
Developing mental toughness allows your athletes to perform at their full potential under pressure, while also remaining calm and being able to bounce back from obstacles and mistakes.
Among many other ways, mental toughness is developed in practice by repeatedly exposing athletes to challenging situations that they might face in a game or competition.
Greater goal-setting
Setting goals provides direction for athletes’ training. These goals should focus on both the short and long term, and also be attainable yet challenging.
Athletes achieving their personal goals in practice instills great self-confidence in their minds on gameday.
Improved focus
Focus refers to your athlete’s ability to concentrate and block out distractions. Strong focus is a form of mental toughness and keeps athletes performing at their best for longer periods of time.
Super self-efficacy
Believing in oneself in part means believing in your abilities.
Self-efficacy is entwined with having self-confidence, being prepared for any situation, and having a passion to achieve your goals, all of which can be cultivated with healthy mental preparation.
Better work ethic
Nothing great is achieved without hard work. Regardless of your natural gifts and abilities, the work that athletes complete in the gym and in the classroom is paramount to success both in sports and life.
Work ethic is related to perseverance, resilience, and dedication in everything else we do in our lives, both in and outside of sport.
