Best of the Best Series – Athlete

In the competitive world of sports, the pursuit of success is relentless. But what truly defines a successful athlete? Is it solely about trophies and accolades, or is there a deeper meaning to success? While victories and championships are undoubtedly part of the equation, true success in athletics encompasses much more. It's about personal growth, resilience in the face of setbacks, and the ability to balance athletic pursuits with other aspects of life. In this blog post, we'll delve into the key characteristics that set successful athletes apart and explore how they achieve greatness both on and off the field.

Focus on process more than outcome.

Outcomes are important. All athletes enter their arena with the goal to win. What separates the greats from the rest of the athletes is their ability to shift their focus to the process. They identify what is in their control that puts them in the best position to achieve their desired outcome. The greatest athletes understand that if they set up the dominos and focus only on knocking down the first domino, the rest will also tumble.

There are many external factors that will push an athlete to focus on the outcome – social media, recruiters, accolades, reporters, ranking systems, coaches, and fans. The great athletes know that their success relies on their ability to shift their focus back to the simple things – how they have trained and prepared themselves, what fundamental skills are critical to high-level performance, and managing their thoughts and emotions to put them in the right mental space to compete.

Recover quickly from failure.

Everyone fails, even the best athletes in the world. It’s part of what makes sports so exhilarating – there are no guarantees. The difference between good athletes and great athletes is how long it takes for them to recover. Great athletes develop effective resets that enable them to recover within seconds of the failure they experienced. By hitting that low and bouncing back quickly, they are better able to compete at a consistent level. This quick recovery also allows them to never let momentum slip too far away and ensure that their competition is not derailed by one mistake.

Successful athletes know that they will not always have their A game, that things will unfortunately not go their way, and that there may be other factors impacting their ability to perform. Rather than dwelling on it and wishing it were different, successful athletes accept the reality of their situation and move forward with the best approach available at that time. They trust that situations can change and that they are never as good or bad as any one performance.

Have a full identity beyond athletics.

Being an athlete takes up an enormous amount of time and energy, but the most successful  athletes understand they are more than an athlete. They make sure to prioritize the other aspects that make up their WHOLE self. This may include a spiritual or religious practice, spending time with family and friends, having a hobby, or engaging in an academic or business venture. Not every waking moment can revolve around their sport and their athletic endeavors. 

When an individual’s identity is held up by only one pillar, it is incredibly susceptible to being knocked over with the slightest upset. Instead of placing all of the emphasis on sport, great athletes spread out the foundation of their identity. Therefore, when there are challenges within one area (relationships, health, sport, etc.), they are able to weather that storm instead of crumpling to the ground. Great athletes also accept that they are human and not immune to those challenges.

Love the nuance of their sport

Winning is incredibly fun, there is no doubt about that. However, for great athletes it is not the only source of enjoyment. The higher the level an athlete attains, the greater understanding of nuance to the sport. Great athletes fall in love with this nuance. There is joy that comes from working to increase their understanding of changes in equipment and environments, to learn new techniques, to grasp the underlying biomechanics that enable them to move more gracefully or explosively, and to study the various styles of other successful athletes.

This enjoyment can then be experienced in training, in competition, and even in the off-season. It creates ever increasing levels of a game that is part of the sport and continues to draw great athletes in again and again. Instead of fun being just about winning, it adds an additional layer of personal growth and the evolution of themselves as players.

Compete against themselves as much (and sometimes more) than competing against their opponents.

One of the defining characteristics of sports is that there are winners and losers. Someone has beaten all of the others, showcasing how they are better than everyone else at that moment. 

While it is critical for athletes to compete against their opponent at the time of competition, great athletes understand how vital it is for long-term success to continually compete against themselves. Yes they want to win. More importantly, they want to be a better version of themselves than they were yesterday. Great athletes are always pushing themselves to beat the previous versions of themselves, constantly leveling up their skills, developing new techniques, and adjusting to their own strengths and weaknesses. For them, the game is played against the previous version of themselves and successful outcomes are simply byproducts of winning that game.

In the end, the essence of athletic greatness extends far beyond the win/loss column. True success is defined by the athlete's dedication to continuous growth, resilience in adversity, and commitment to maintaining a balanced life. By prioritizing process over outcome, rapidly recovering from setbacks, nurturing a well-rounded identity, embracing the subtle nuances of their sport, and constantly striving to outperform their previous selves, athletes cultivate lasting success and fulfillment. Ultimately, the most accomplished athletes teach us that victory is not merely about outperforming others, but about consistently challenging and elevating the person they were yesterday.

Want help becoming a great athlete? Work with Dr. Lindsey today!