As we get in to crunch time of the season, here are 7 ways that wrestlers are hurting their performance.
- Blaming the referee or making excuses. This will never help you. Refs will make bad calls. It is not your fault, but it is your responsibility to respond in a positive and effective way.
- Worrying about your record or seed. Your record is very subjective based on your quality of competition. The less you focus on it the more apt you are to go after tougher challenges, better opponents and ultimately develop faster on the mat.
- Trying to impress other people. This can be a tremendous distraction and lead to unhappiness and even depression. Wrestle because you love it not because you want to impress someone else.
- Giving your opponent too much respect. Do NOT put your opponent on a pedestal. They “bleed the same blood and breath the same air” as one of our clients put it. Follow the old wrestling quote “Respect all fear none.”
- Focusing too much on winning. The outcome is outside of your control otherwise everyone would be 100-0 and win every match by tech or pin. Focus rather on improvement, lifestyle, effort and attitude.
- Making poor life choices. Smoking, drinking, vaping, spending hours on social media, partying, sleeping poorly, etc. The list is endless but none of them will help you.
- Not enjoying the process. Wrestling is fun. You get to play rough. You get to learn so many physical and mental skills. You get in great shape. You can learn so much about your body, exercising and nutrition. Make sure to keep it fun and remember the things you love about wrestling.
The best coaching is the kind of coaching that lasts a lifetime. The mental skills you learn from Wrestling Mindset will last you beyond your time on the mat. They will help you in school, your future career, your relationships and your life.