Forced Time Off...an Opportunity for Growth

In this period of social distancing and limited training, NOW is best time to focus on how we can best prepare our athletes to make a safe and productive transition back to their normal training load. This time away is wonderful opportunity to come out of this experience with:

• effective self-care and recovery skills
• improved mental and physical strength
• enhanced resiliency and training load tolerance

So, for the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some useful nuggets that you can put to immediate use and be ready to go when we get the all-clear.
Mindset and Performance
As humans we can view challenges in our lives through different lenses that affect our ability to adapt and cope with our situation. How do you look at challenges, adversity or hardship? Take this short quiz.

​Select the number for each question which best describes you and tally up your score:

Score Chart:
22-30= Strong Growth Mindset
17-21= Growth with some Fixed ideas
11-16 = Fixed with some Growth ideas
0-10= Strong fixed mindset

Now that you know where you are, now, with your mindset, why does this matter? Well, because developing a growth mindset not only helps you cope with hardship, it makes you WELCOME challenges as an opportunity to learn, grow, improve and excel. This in turn helps you to develop more mental and physical toughness and improve your overall resilience as an athlete.     

If you don’t believe that you can improve or become better, then you see adverse events as an absolute measure of your worth. For example, I didn't swim as fast as I wanted, so "I am a loser".  In contrast, when you face that adverse event with a growth mindset, you look for ways to be prepared for something like it in the future. Instead of beating yourself up, you see at as an opportunity to learn and be better. 

People with a fixed mindset often fear challenge, avoid effort, and don’t ask for help because their self-worth is wrapped up in their performance. Sabotaging performance is easier than giving a best effort and failing. Asking for help would mean admitting that one is not good enough and lacks the ability to improve. On the other hand, those with a growth mindset can see the value of challenge and effort and welcome help as a means of continually improving.

Fixed mindset: Failure = Setback, out of my control
Growth mindset: Failure = Opportunity to learn and grow

The great news is that our mindset is fluid and can be changed. It is important to be aware of how you are reacting to stress, setbacks, hardships, failures, difficulties, or challenges. Look for opportunities to EXERCISE and develop your growth mindset:

• View challenges as opportunities
• Replace the word “failing” with the word “learning”
• Take time to enjoy the journey:
  • The process of learning something new
  • The feeling of challenging yourself and overcoming adversity
• Celebrate growth in yourself and in others

 
If you go through life only doing things that are easy, was it a life well lived?