Oh no, you thought this year would be different! This year, you would have more than enough time to develop the skills to take your skating to the next level.
You’ve practiced hard, picked yourself up when you fell, and brushed yourself off. Over and over.
Day after day.
You have new skills you want to make consistent, and you wonder if there is enough time to get more confident in your programs before your first competition or qualifying event.
What if I were to tell you that there is a way for you to make a huge improvement in the way you skate, maybe even up to 40%! Would you be interested?
Of course you would. Who wouldn’t?
Don’t read further until you answer these questions:
1) How much of this sport do you think is mental? ________________%
2) How much time do you spend working on your mental game a week? _____________hours
If you are like most athletes, there a “disconnect” between your knowing what will help–and your doing what it takes.
Most will say their sport is 40-99% mental.
But they only spend minutes a week on their mental game.
Elite athletes will tell you that it’s all mental game. That they have learned to incorporate their mental game into every moment on the ice. 
Every journey starts with a single step.–Lao Tze
If you wanted to land your triple Salchow at the next competition, how much time would you spend practicing it? Would wait until you fall on it in program, then think “oh right, I have to practice my 3 Sal” or would you plan to practice it and do it?
That’s a no brainer. All serious skaters know that to get better in a skill, you must practice it.
If you know that a strong Mental Game is a huge part of skating well, then what is keeping you from making time to work on your Mental Game?
For most athletes the Mental Game consists of the pep talk your coach gives you right before you step onto the ice to take your opening pose.
That is motivation and inspiration that comes from the outside. It is temporary. Useful, but temporary.
Your Mental game is inside of you.
It is powerful.
It is constant.
It is a mindset.
It is a tool box. Strategies you practice so that they become a part of you.
Your Mental game is like a muscle. It gets stronger with exercise and practice.
When skaters think mental game, the first thing that comes to mind is confidence.
I want to skate with confidence.
Here’s the thing:
Confidence is a skill like your jumps and spins. It must be trained.
Confidence doesn’t magically appear and stay forever when you finally skate perfectly.
Today, will you make a commitment to work on your mental game?
If the answer is yes, read on.
Schedule at least 10 minutes today or tomorrow to start this activity.
4 Steps to Greater Confidence: Confidence Résumé
1) Grab a paper and pen and sit quietly. Reflect on the following question:
What are all the reasons I deserve to feel confident in my skating?
2) Write down every reason you deserve to feel confident in skating.
Examples include:
- Achievements-Landing 2A
- Past successes-Awards, number of years skating
- Accomplishments-tests passed, workshops attended
- Coaching staff-qualified coaching staff, great facility, support of parents
- Work ethic-work harder than anyone else, great training plan
- Strengths in skating-fast spinner, high jumper
3) Review this every day before you get on the ice to practice, and before competition.
4) Keep your Confidence Résumé¹ updated. Add new achievements and accomplishments frequently.
Create your Confidence Resume and review it daily for the week. Email me at the end of the week to let me know how it is going. I answer all my email!
Congratulations, you have taken the first step to a building a stronger mental game.
Mental skills training can make a difference because it can help you access what is already there during competition and practice. Start here; download “Confidence Myth Busters,” a complimentary eBook and make a change.
Fn¹: Confidence Resume: Dr. Patrick Cohn, Peak Sports