Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence

by Gary Mack

Competitive. Professional golfer Nancy Lopez clearly defines a competitor. “A competitor will find a way to win,” she said. “Competitors take bad breaks and use them to drive themselves just that much harder. Quitters take bad breaks and use them as reasons to give up.” Michael Jordan’s flirtation with a major-league baseball career is testimony to his competitive fire. Why would the greatest basketball player in history attempt to play another sport? Because he couldn’t accept not trying. Late in life, Joe DiMaggio said he would give away all his trophies and records to be twenty-five years old and able to compete again. “The one thing I both loved and now miss the most,” DiMaggio said, “was the competition.” Confident. Tiger Woods said, “Every time I play, in my own mind I’m the favorite.” Confident athletes have a can-do attitude, a belief they can handle whatever comes their way. They almost never fall victim to self-defeating thoughts. Jordan said he went into every game believing he was the best player on the court until someone proved otherwise. Very few did. Control. Successful athletes are able to control their emotions and behavior. They focus on what they can control and don’t allow things that are out of their control to affect them. The hallmark of mentally tough athletes is the ability to maintain poise, concentration, and emotional control under the greatest pressure and the most challenging situations. Committed. Mentally tough athletes focus their time and...