5 Key Mindset Qualities of Successful Athletes

The Qualities of Successful Athletes aren't circled around specific physical skills that are developed through training, but rather around training the mindto overcome adversities and ultimately become better athletes.  

These 5 key mindset qualities found in successful athletes can be learned from and utilized by anyone.

Whether you play in a team or a one-man sport, if you are a coach or personal trainer, you will benefit greatly from reading this.

You will learn the importance of staying calm under pressure, focusing and putting in effort on the now, being persistent, and prioritising and listening to your body. 

If you are a coach or a personal trainer you can teach these mindset qualities to your athletes/ and or clients to help change their mindsets to ultimately become better athletes and fulfil their goals quicker. This will create clients for life.

1. Successful Athletes stay calm under pressure

We all get nervous; it’s a part of being human. We all get stressed whether we like to admit it or not, and pressure is known to either bring out the best in someone or the worst.

Great athletes don’t let pressure bring them down- they use it as fuel.

They are under constant pressure all the time, and because of this they know how to deal with it effectively.

Techniques used to stay calm under pressure include:
- Focusing on controlled breathing.
- Positive self-talk and reassurance.
- Meditating prior to competition.
- Keep your focus on you and the present moment.

2. Successful athletes don’t dwell on the past

In the NFL, when a Quarterback throws an interception, you'll often hear the coach say, "don't worry, next play." This is said to reinforce the fact you can't change the past, so let it go and improve on the next play.

Successful athletes don't dwell on the past whether it's negative or positive. They worry about how they can execute in the present, and future.

How to not dwell on the past:
- Focus on the present and future.
- Set goals.
- Be prepared to fail.

3. Successful athletes stay persistent

Being persistent is simply the act of always continuing to move forward. To continue regardless of setbacks. To endure until the end, if it means falling down 9 times, you get up that 10^th time.

Successful athletes set long and short term goals. They work extremely hard to achieve these goals. No matter how difficult it is for them to achieve, by being persistent they know they will reach their goals and are capable of achieving greatness.

How to stay persistent:
- Write down your goals (short/long term).
- Break down steps needed to achieve your goal.
- Plan your daily routine around the goal and stick to it.

4. Successful athlete’s prioritise accordingly

Have your priorities sorted out! In order to be successful, you have to know what is important at what time and always be prepared accordingly.

This philosophy is extremely important when it comes to competing.

Successful athletes prioritise their training, diet and recovery. They don’t leave things to last minute, they are not lazy and they don’t slack off. They know what is important and they utilise their time effectively.

How to prioritise accordingly:
- Keep a diary with you at all times and use it.
- Do what is important first before anything else.
- Meal prep in advanced.
- Sleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning.
- Have a morning routine to get yourself ready for the day ahead.

5. Successful athletes listen to their body’s

It may seem counterintuitive to the "no pain, no gain" philosophy that so many subscribe to, but listening to how you feel really makes a difference in your workouts. How?

Your body is very smart. It will give you signs when you're sore, injured, or exhausted—all of which could be signs that you need to rest.

Unfortunately some people ignore these signs and push to their limits. This can cause serious injuries, and bot mental and physical exhaustion.

Successful athletes listen to their body. When they feel like they are unwell they will have a rest day. When they feel pain in a certain area they will stop training to seek professional advice. By doing this, it allows them to train effectively, function well, be mentally prepared so they can work on and focus on learning and building upon new skills for competition time. 

Listening to your body:
- Get enough rest.
- Eat nutritious foods.
- Drink plenty of fluid.
- Take vitamins.
- Don’t drink alcohol or smoke.
- Get regular health check-ups.

A Final word,
I have laid out a set of practical tools and concepts for you to get your mind right. These certain qualities have worked extremely well for successful athletes.

Will they work for you? I’m confident they will, but also being humble enough to acknowledge the best way to get your mind right is to find what works best for you and to practice it. I suggest you apply the advice of the great martial artist Bruce Lee: “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own.”

Good Luck, Freak Athletes.