Have you been watching the Olympics?

Four years of hard work, grit, dedication, commitment, and focus are what these athletes endure leading up to the biggest events/competitions of their life! Isn’t it ‘bananas’ to think of all of the physical training that goes into competing for a gold medal? I’ve never competed in the Olympics, but I’m sure there are a lot of early mornings and late nights involved where athletes are working on their craft day-in and day-out to become as sharp as they can to have a chance at winning it all!  

But, what about the other components of training? 

Yes, I’m talking about the mental training involved. Think about it – one false start in track & field, one missed landing in gymnastics, one mistimed second in synchronized swimming can take those four years of training for a gold medal and throw it down the drain. That’s a lot of pressure!

So, how do these athletes handle the pressure? 

I can tell you how, it’s about their mental health and mental strength! Take Simone Biles, for example. Arguably the best gymnast to ever compete in the Olympics, Simone has previously won several gold medals. But recently in Tokyo, Simone didn’t feel comfortable completing in all of her events, so she pulled out in an effort to do what was best for her and the team.

This is what she said…

“Put mental health first, because if you don’t, then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to.”

Wow, how powerful is that?!?!

The best gymnast in the world speaking out about the utter importance of mental health!  Not only that, but she also got tons of support from other Olympic athletes regarding mental health and how important it really is. But she wasn’t done. Even after all of the adversity she dealt with (not to mention the slander and criticism), Simone decided to step up in one of her individual events – the balance beam. She went through her routine and ended up taking bronze! The mental strength and resilience that must have taken from her to rebound, to bounce back from not being able to compete in the team event to coming back and taking bronze on the world’s biggest stage is absolutely incredible!

My challenge to you!

I challenge you to take a moment and think about your mental health and mental strength. How is it affecting your performance in your sport, in your industry, in your personal life?  When are you feeling your best?  How about your worst?  And what can you do to improve it?  Do you need a pause? We can always work on our mental health. We all have it! And we don’t need to be an Olympian to do it!  I encourage you to ask yourself these questions and take positive actions today and everyday to become your overall best, most healthy self.

Brandt Bronico #13

P.S. We at Soccer Resilience® would love to help you take your game to the next level! We know what it takes to get there, and we’ll take the guesswork out of mental training for you. Give us a shout! (wells@soccerresilience.com, (336)575-3324)