“You won’t win the outer game unless you play and win the inner game.” – Jim Afremow (The Champion’s Comeback, page 65)

Although people often preach that mindset is everything, how often do we actually take the time to work on our mental game? This includes mental skills, such as focus, resilience, energy management, and confidence, which are all necessary to perform successfully on a consistent basis. When so much emphasis is placed on the results of our performance, we often ignore the inner work that must be done in order to achieve those results. Physical talent, practice, and performance alone can only take an athlete so far. When you view elite athletes, such as Olympians, what characteristics set them apart from other athletes besides their physical, athletic ability? These are the athletes who take the mental game seriously, practice both inwardly and outwardly, and use their mental skills to their advantage in both preparation and execution of their performance.

Elite athletes are empowered not only by their immense physical effort, but also by the strong mental discipline they adhere to. They are able to effectively withstand pressure, remain resilient through setbacks, keep their composure amidst struggles, and bounce back from failures. If an athlete only chases after winning the outer game, they will eventually fall short. Sport performance is not easy whatsoever, and it is critical for aspiring elite athletes (and even recreational athletes) to invest in their mental performance. Athletes who play and win the inner game will be unfazed by any distractions or detriments that so often arise in the outer game. Playing and winning the inner game will ultimately set you up for pure success in the outer game. The body is directly connected to the mind, and the two need to work together in harmony to achieve peak performance.

Take this week to reflect on your mental game not only in your performance, but also in your life. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What is holding you back from reaching your optimal performance potential? Reach out if you’d like to explore this further!