Mental Toughness
Tom Feely
Article posted on 3/1/2007

An important quality of a successful athlete, and especially a successful kicker and/or punter, is "mental toughness". When the skill levels are equal, it usually is "mental toughness" that separates the successful from the unsuccessful kicker or punter.

This begs the questions:

How does one become mentally tough?

What are the qualities that make up a mentally tough player?

I believe that to become a mentally tough person, there are certain pre-requisite rules that one must acquire and assimilate into their mental psyche:

Rule 1: To excel requires that you believe.

Anatole France once said, "To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." This says it all! Success starts with a dream. Then you must be convinced that the dream is not only possible, but probable, that is, you must believe in the efficacy of achieving your dream. Webster's Dictionary defines "efficacy" as the "power or capacity to produce a desired effect". One gains that power to achieve when you begin to believe. Those who thrive in sports are the ones who believe they can. Find the courage to make your dreams a reality. Hal Borland wrote, "I have learned to use the word "impossible" with the greatest of caution".

Rule 2: See your goal and focus on it.

This rule requires first that you have clear and specific goals that lead you to achieving your ultimate dream. Your goals must be a challenge. Remember that if you only tackle what you know, you'll never grow. Make your goals well defined and write them down. Albert Einstein said, "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." The second part of Rule 2 is to focus on our goals. There are many pitfalls that detract from your efforts to achieving your goals, the most common of which is fear of failure. So many athletes facing a pressure pact situation focus on not failing, rather than visualizing themselves succeeding. If you are not afraid of failure you will seldom have to face it.

Rule 3: Do not dwell long on your setbacks.

It's not how many times you fall that matters; it's whether you get back up, when you do fall. The only real failure is the failure to get back up. Analyze your technique. Take responsibility (don't make excuses or find others to blame), then move on. Great athletes view their mistakes as a temporary setback due to a failure to execute correct technique, but not in any way was it reflecting a permanent state of your abilities!

Rule 4: Mental toughness results from commitment and exposure to pressure.

Motivation gets you moving; Determination keeps you going. Pressure either makes you weak or makes you stronger. Champions are made through long hours of blood, sweat and hard work. If you want to accomplish great things, there are no short cuts. Hard work and dedication to your training is essential. You must be "coach-able", that is, willing to learn, yet ultimately self driven so the external motivators (coaches) are not needed for you to succeed. Don't shy away from pressure situations, embrace them as opportunities for growth. Seek out ways to feel great pressure when you must perform. The more you are exposed to these pressure filled situations, the tougher you will become.

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