In the standard psychological literature, the four pillars of mental toughness are motivation, self-confidence, attentional focus, and managing pressure.

Motivation

In terms of motivation, an athlete with a strong desire to achieve and push past their limits is considered motivated. Such an athlete is self-confident, believes in themselves, and is willing to take risks. They can maintain attention to their surroundings and remain focused despite distractions. This attentional focus allows them to perform well under pressure.

Research indicates that a coach’s willingness to create an encouraging environment through positive reinforcement in a competitive environment and a parent’s role in influencing the correct attitude for sports participation play significant roles in developing the four pillars of mental toughness within athletes.

Exercises to Try

According to the latest research, athletes can improve their mental resilience and toughness through a diverse set of exercises.

Goalsetting: One such exercise is setting goals. Spending time and setting action-oriented, measurable goals that are precise but self-determined within a reasonable time frame are effective strategies for building motivation for sports. These goals should be specific and with a degree of difficulty to maximise achievement. Athletes can use SMART goals for this, here’s what the acronym stands for:

Athletes can use SMART goals for this; here’s what the acronym stands for:

Specific: Clear goals that lay out exactly what you want to accomplish, removing any level of vagueness.

Measurable: Metrics that provide quantifiable information on how close you are to achieving your goals

Attainable: Goals must be achievable with available resources

Relevant: Goals should apply to your surroundings and objectives; for example, setting specific goals to achieve a certain personal best will align with overall sporting ambitions.

Time-bound: Realistic deadlines should be put in place to achieve goals.

Dedicate time to write these goals down, using SMART as a guideline to guide effective goal setting in improving mental resilience and toughness.

Visualizing Success: Secondly, imagery has been observed to build self-confidence through the reinforcement of positive performance. This is often done by closing your eyes and imagining a successful game or performance in your competition. Athletes incorporating imagery for mental preparation before a competition can benefit from raised self-confidence.

Quieting Negative Thoughts: Finally, training to deal with pressure derived from competition by employing cognitive restructuring techniques has proven beneficial. Practicing identifying negative thoughts, establishing containment cues, and replacing them with positive alternatives can help dismiss thoughts that may hinder performance.

Positive Self-Talk: In terms of attentive control, using positive self talk statements such as ‘I am strong’ through motivational and instructional cues can help sustain the focus needed to maintain mental resilience during competition. Former professional athletes have learned to utilize this mental skill in producing positive sporting outcomes. Retired NFL quarterback Danny Wuerffel nurtured his inner voice from a young age through positive self-talk messages to improve his performance at the highest level.

To learn more about the role self talk can play in sports, check out the course ‘The Voice Inside Your Head’ on the ISNation app by former NFL Quarter Back Danny Wuerffel.