10 Mental Makings of Champions

---

Project Triple Threat - Staff Writer

Elite athletes and frankly, elite performers in general, understand that success goes well-beyond physical talent and technique, and heavily involves the psychology of success, which incorporates an array of mental aspects, such as, visualization and goal setting, among many others. The Janssen Sports Leadership Center, a leading leadership-coaching organization located in North Carolina, points to ten criteria at cultivating the mental makings of a champion. You can find the 10 Mental Makings of Champions below. 

1. Dare to dream. Champions envision great possibilities for themselves. They think ahead to create an exciting, motivating, and satisfying future. 

2. Define & commit to a mission. Champions clearly specify what they want to achieve. They make a full commitment to do whatever it takes to achieve their mission, making it a top priority in their life. 

3. Set daily goals. Champions break down their goals into specific, controllable challenges that they set out to achieve on a daily and weekly basis. 

​4. Control the controllable(s). Champions understand the difference between what they can and cannot control.

5. Choose to think helpful thoughts. Champions realize that they have the power to choose how they think and feel, which ultimately determines how they perform. They discipline their minds to think constructively.

6. Choose to cultivate confidence. Champions choose to be confident by focusing on their strengths and the reasons why success is achievable. They thrive on "pressure" situations and actively use a mindset poised for success. 

7. Focus on the present-positive-process. Champions focus on the present moment -- taking plays, points, and possessions one at a time. They focus on the process of training and competing, realizing that if they care for the positive-process, the desired outcome will take care of itself. 

8. Trust themselves. Champions trust both their preparation and abilities; especially when it comes time to compete. They go out and just do what they have trained themselves to do! 

9. Recognize and overcome adversity. Champions recognize what things and situations are tough to handle and detail plans on how to effectively handle hurdles. Instead of giving up or giving in, pouting or making excuses, champions work through adversity by trying harder and smarter. 

10. Evaluate their performance. Champions invest the time to sincerely evaluate their training and performance. They reflect on highlights, as a way to build confidence while learning lessons from mistakes.

#PTTHoops