What do Olympic athletes know or do that normal athletes don't? They know as much as (perhaps a bit more) most athletes with regards to training regimen, nutrition, and mechanics; however, they behave much differently. They do what they know, and master each aspect of training. One aspect that Olympic athletes master is what I call the Olympic Mindset. What follows are three components of that mindset.
- Flexible dedication
What is flexible dedication? Flexible dedication is the ability to first utilize a long-term perspective with regards to goal-setting while simultaneously planning for obstacles. In short, it means that Olympic athletes are able to set their target goals in spite of the fact that they know problems (injuries, etc) will arise along the way.
Most athletes have a difficult time taking such a perspective. Goals that are four-plus years out on the horizon seem too distant to hold any relevance in their lives. However, Olympic athletes are able to do this, partly out of necessity, partly out of their nature. They understand the process involved in long-term planning, particularly with regards to sport. They keep their eye on their athletic and competition goals (long-term goals) and adjust their yearly, monthly, and weekly goals (mid and short-term goals) as the situation dictates.
- The ability to bounce back-quicker, harder, and better
Nobody deals with losses and setbacks better than Olympic athletes. Examples? Think Dan Jansen. Think about how many times you've read or heard about athletes who are attempting to win gold for the third time (which means twelve years of training!).
Resilience-the ability to bounce back from setbacks-is a key characteristic of the mental program of Olympic athletes. Resilience is increased through proper anticipation of obstacles. Olympic athletes understand that life isn't fair, and neither is sport, but they forge ahead despite this knowledge.
Why are these athletes better equipped to deal with setbacks and adversity? Because they plan for it, and use failure and obstacles as part of their training. For example, some Olympic athletes, unable to participate due to injury, spend that portion of their training time doing visualization, or biofeedback training instead. Therefore, time that had been allotted for physical training is now used for mental training, and they continue to progress towards their goals-despite their injury.
- Love of competition
Olympic athletes are the perfect example of doing something for the pure joy of it. The life of an Olympian, which may seem glamorous, is anything but. Long hours in the gym, long hours recuperating, strict nutritional programs, and hours upon hours spent reviewing tapes are commonplace in the lives of these athletes. The ability to balance family obligations, relationships, academics, and work-in addition to their training needs, sets Olympic athletes apart. The only way they can do this is through love of competition. And this competition is more with themselves than with others. They do it because they love the process of competing with others, and they do it because they are obsessed with bettering themselves. There is no better example of pure love for a sport than those examples evidenced in the Olympic games. This love of competition and self-improvement provides the fuel and motivation when obstacles appear and failure sets in.
These three aspects of the Olympic Mindset provide a simple template from which you can design your own self-improvement program. You don't have to be an Olympic athlete, and you don't have to even be an athlete, to apply these principles.
