Compounding Mental Toughness: The Power of One More
One of the most important habits that we work on with athletes at SPMI is developing success by compounding mental toughness. Many athletes get caught up in the comparison trap where they look to see what their peers are doing and then replicate their training approach to the sport. Now in rare cases one of their peers could be exceptional among their training habits to where replicating them is beneficial to reaching their full potential. However, in the majority of the cases, athletes are stuck with only a shadow of what top athletes commit to when striving to become the best.
In addition to this major mistake, many athletes then develop a false sense of accomplishment and understanding that training at the same intensity and schedule of their peers is enough to reach their goals.
Now at SPMI we work on athletes competing with themselves. Always striving to become a better version of who they were yesterday. This means that sticking to their team schedule is not enough to become the best.
Top athletes need to always challenge themselves to do a little more than what they did their previous week. Whether it's committing to one more set in the gym, to staying one more minute after practice to even adding one more vegetable to their plate. It's about instilling the mindset and habits of greatness.
Also, this habit of committing to one more can be applied in other areas outside of their sport. Such as reading one more page out of their reading assignment, to studying for 1 more minute after they've studied for an adequate amount of time, to going to bed 1 minute earlier. Every one more compounds to a greater ROI (return on investment) in future goals and to a more fulfilled life.
Below are some of the many benefits of compounding mental toughness by getting in the habit of doing just one more.
- Builds Momentum: Stimulates motivation and hunger
- Increases Confidence: Athletes' belief system grows through small, steady accomplishments.
- Turns into world-class habits: After sticking with it for a period of time it's no longer hard.
- Reduces Fear: More likely to take on uncomfortable tasks
- Creates Opportunity: Performance improves and more positive results
- More success in sports and life: Increased action = increased success.