Peak Performance- Discovering the Key to Success
Self Motivation
For kids, motivation to perform well in sports is often directly derived from the desire to please. We all want our parents, coaches, and teammates to be proud of our accomplishments and contributions to the team. However, as an athlete progresses through adolescence and begins to take their game to the next level, they must learn to rely more on self-motivation to perform at their absolute best.
A support system is crucial to any athlete. The positive reinforcement and encouragement that we receive from parents, friends, coaches, and fans serves as a catalyst to push ourselves even harder. However, as an athlete matures, the importance of self-motivation becomes apparent as the primary factor by which we are able to set and achieve ambitious but achievable goals. Regardless of skill or talent, an athlete will never be their best if they are working to only please mom and dad or placate a temperamental coach. It’s not about selfishness. It’s about the intrinsic motivation and self-determination that brings out the best in you as an athlete and teammate.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you should start ignoring your coach’s and parents’ advice and think you have all the answers. Your coach is there to educate and teach you to apply your skills in the best way possible, and the advice offered from a parent’s perspective can be priceless. But, when it comes to
pushing yourself to run that last set of laps or put in another half-hour in the weight room, you have to learn to want that for yourself, or you will never be reaching your full potential.
One of the most important aspects of self-motivation is goal-setting. Learn to empower yourself as an athlete by setting short, medium, and long-term goals that are ambitious but feasible. Short-term goals should be the most practical, and progress should be closely monitored. Don’t be reluctant to revise your goals if you realize that they are impractical and too rigid. Continuing to work towards a goal that you shouldn’t have set in the first place will only result in frustration.
Every individual athlete is unique, and to reach your full potential as a competitor, you should experiment with changing your attitudes and perceptions until you find a self-motivational pathway that fits perfectly with your personality. Once you are able to understand and master the driving forces within yourself, you will likely notice changes that you never thought possible, both on and off the field.