Aspiring athletes ought to know many things before sign themselves up. Know that simply having the skills and months of training are not enough to ace your sport. You want to be able to do your best when it counts, recover effectively, and start over again for the next game.
There are lots of things that can help you perform to your full potential. But there are also things that can interfere with your success. For best results, learn from the pros and never take the following must-haves for granted.
Proper Nutrition and Enough Rest
It is already given that you get more than your daily exercise from your training. But without enough nutrition and adequate sleep you will easily get tired and feel burned out. Be sure you take physical well-being and wellness seriously so you can perform your best.
Athletes should take nutrition seriously to ensure they have enough energy to perform and recover. It is advisable that athletes work with their coaches and a sports nutritionist. This way, they can better understand what they need to consume and what to avoid to enjoy optimal performance.
Adequate rest and sleep are essential to give the body enough time to heal after rigorous training. Recovery allows the body to adapt to the stressful training and exercise while giving it time to recover. A training log can help determine an athlete’s recovery needs and if any modification is required for better recovery.
Outdoor Recreation
Athletes also need time to enjoy and have fun outside training. You may love working hard and training vigorously when preparing for a game. If don’t give yourself enough time to have fun and think outside of your sport, you won’t have time to burn your mental stress.
Athletes can be at risk for low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. All these can stop them from performing their best when needed. But with enough mental stimulation, they can better manage mental stress and boost their performance.
There are a lot of outdoor recreational activities athletes can indulge in. Being around nature can do wonders for your health, both physically and mentally. You deserve to have fun after working hard and enjoy relief from your daily stress.
If you haven’t been traveling lately, consider going to a national park for an ATV or UTV tour. This way, you can let go, feel the adrenaline rush, and experience wildlife in real-time. You can use this time for recovery, be in sync with nature, and indulge in breathtaking views you never see in your training ground.
Intrinsic Motivation
One can have two kinds of motivation which are intrinsic or external motivation. Your external motivation can include rewards like money, medals, recognition, or avoiding punishment and other consequences. Intrinsic motivation means you are working hard to achieve your goal because you enjoy doing this and you find it satisfying.
Intrinsic motivation support cohesive interaction and long-term performance. When you love and enjoy what you do, you are motivated to work harder and perform better. You enjoy the journey, even the long training.
According to the Self-Determination Theory, intrinsic motivation drives athletes from within. You get to meet your psychological needs like relatedness, competence, and autonomy. You are motivated because it has a real purpose for you or is one thing you value and not because it is an obligation.
There are extrinsically motivated athletes who are successful in their careers. But if you don’t love what you do and you are merely obliged to play, it won’t take long until you lose motivation. This is why it is a good idea to pursue our passion, so we will be happier, have a sense of purpose, and can manifest dreams into reality.
Willingness to Learn From Failure and Mistakes
Some athletes fall into obliviousness after building their careers and making name for themselves. Just because you experience continuous success does not mean you won’t be experiencing failure any time soon. If you want to maximize your success, you need to achieve balance.
You should learn how to focus on your game and play your best every single time. If you fail, you should also learn how to accept failure and learn from your mistakes. Don’t forget that you can learn the best lessons from losses and mistakes.
Being an athlete can be 10 times harder than it looks. The endless training is just the beginning. If you intend to be an athlete, it pays to learn what you are signing yourself up for. Be willing to learn from the pros and open up your mind to all the possibilities that you are likely to face. Find out how you can reach your full potential and work hard to maintain mental and physical toughness.
