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The goal of mental game training is to allow you to do your best work. This can be skating a personal best for a win or selling a million dollar business concept.
It is our habit to live in the past or the future. “The last time I competed at this rink I bombed my program!” or “If Peggy isn’t there, then I have a great chance of winning, because I will be the only one with a triple lutz.”
The only power you have is in the present moment. The present moment is the only time your choices and decisions count. You can’t change the past. The future is unknown.
Mental game training gives you powerful tools to:
- Be aware and present in the moment so you can make choices.
- Change your perspective and use past experiences to your advantage.
- Prepare and plan now so you can have the best possible future.
Being in the moment gives you control over your thoughts, emotions and actions. Many problems disappear when you are in the moment. When you are in the now, you are not dwelling on the past or worried about the future.
Let It Go, Let It Flow
The goal of mental game training is to be in the flow state of mind. Coaches and athletes call it being in the “zone.”
An Olympic figure skater describes the experience of flow, in this excerpt from an interview with flow expert, Susan Jackson.
“It was just one of those programs that clicked. I mean everything went right, everything felt good…it’s just such a rush, like you feel it could go on and on and on, like you don’t want it to stop because it’s going so well. It’s almost as though you don’t have to think, it’s like everything goes automatically without thinking…it’s like you’re on automatic pilot so you don’t have any thoughts. You hear the music but you are not aware that you’re hearing it, because it’s a part of its all.” ¹
Definition of Flow:
“In positive psychology, flow, also known as the zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.”
Being in the zone, (or flow) is the key to excellent performance in any task. There is a wealth of information about the zone and flow that we will save for a separate article. Many of you have been in the zone even though you might not have know it at the time.
Think back to when you did something amazing or lost all track of time. It could be that time you skated an amazing program. Everything was great and you knew from one element to the next that you would nail everything.
Being in the zone can happen during any activity. Readers often lose track of time with a good book. Time flies when you are having fun with friends.
Mental game training teaches you how to get into the mental state of flow. But first you must be present in the moment.
One Thing at a Time
Psychological research shows that people can only do one mental activity at a time. When we think we are multitasking, instead we are “task switching.” People who think they are great multitaskers are just good task switchers.
It is well known that multitaskers can experience a 40% reduction in productivity. As much as I hate to admit it, this is true. Once in awhile I get to watch an episode of NCIS on Netflix. I hate to just sit there, so I do things like delete my “spam” emails or play a game on my phone. Though I feel like I am maximizing my time, I know am not doing either activity well. I usually miss key information in the solution to the case, and end up spending more time catching up.
We can only focus on one thing at a time. We can only think about one thing at at time. This means that we can either choose to focus on our doubts and negative thoughts, or on getting the job done.
The beauty of mental game training is that there is one goal. To get you into the mental state of flow. In this state, you will find your best performance.
If you read my articles you will find that at the very the foundation of mental game training is the need to be present in the moment. Flow comes from being in the moment. Peak performance comes when you are in the flow.
With the right education and practice, anyone can learn the mindset to be in the present moment. This means that everyone has the potential to get into the mental state of flow.
Once you know how to guide yourself to the right mindset and you practice it daily, it will become easier. When you get stuck or frustrated, you will have the tools to move yourself back into the flow.
Future Focus vs. Now Focus
Full disclosure. Being present in the moment is probably one of the most difficult things to do.
We can learn to live in the present by watching young children. Dr. Sakakihara writes, “Children are happy to be simply loved by their mother. But as they grow, they come to see their own existence in relative terms. They also gain the ability to project into the future. Seeing themselves in relation to what is around them and learning to focus on the future is a joyous experience that proves their growth and development.”²
But once we have the ability to focus on the future, it becomes more difficult to stay present and focused in the present moment.
Nothing illustrates this better than a trip to the beach with little children. When it is time to leave they scream and fight as if their hearts are being torn out. This is because the beach ceases to exist once they leave. They don’t know that they can visit it again. They are truly in the moment.
Once we know there is a future, we anticipate, we speculate and “live” in the future. We look forward to our birthday presents or summer trip to Disneyland. We can’t wait until school lets out, or until we get to our destination.
This past week I was driving in heavy traffic to Grouse Mountain where we were going to do the grind, a difficult uphill climb. We had a set amount of time before we had to be back at the rink. Google maps took us on an unusual route through Stanley Park, where we passed the water, rose gardens and beautiful trees.
The whole drive I worried that this route was longer than going by freeway. Instead of relaxing and enjoying the picturesque scenery, I fretted. Right before the scenery ended I realized that I missed the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature because I was thinking about being late. I don’t know if Google will ever take us that way again, but if it does, I will be sure to stay in the moment.
People spend a lifetime learning to recapture the ability to be present in the moment. Countless books and articles have been written for this purpose. Skating and other competitive sports create numerous opportunities to practice being in the moment.
Constant competitions and learning difficult skating skills every day allow skaters to improve their mental game quickly:
- Athletes can practice mental game strategies.
- Assess the results of using the strategies.
- Learn what works and what does not.
- Revise techniques if necessary.
- Practice and repeat in real situations.
In general, the earlier you start mental game training the better. We teach young skaters simple concepts and “rules” that help to build a learning and growing mindset. Skaters learn to focus on what they are doing in the moment. They build on what they can do, and learn to practice to reach a goal.
Learning mental game skills are just like learning the proper technique in skating, it is easier to learn for the first time than to change existing habits.
If you are like most athletes we work with, you already have doubts and thoughts that are keeping you stuck. Don’t worry. Just like a change in jump technique, you can learn a new mindset. We have countless students who have done this.
Yes, it will probably take more effort than if you started when you were young. But all it takes is the desire to change, the willingness to do daily work, and expert guidance. Pay attention to your mental game. A champion mindset is your key to excellent performance on the ice.
Call to Action
Are you tired of DIY Mental Game Training? If you seriously want to improve your skating, and are ready to blast off, let’s talk!
- Flow the Secret to Happines, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow/transcript#t-538858
- Children Live in the Present Moment, Dr. Yoichi Sakakihara http://www.childresearch.net/chief2/03.html
Use the following links to read the previous articles in this series:
Part 1 Mental Game Training is for Life