Own Your Athletic Identity

How would you define your mindset? 

Oftentimes when athletes aren’t getting the results they want they begin to define themselves based on those results. “I’m a bad shooter.”, “I can’t hit against lefty pitchers.”, ‘I used to be good at defense.”, etc. Regardless of all past or current evidence showing otherwise. 

The same goes for their mindset. 

“I’m just a negative person.”

“I have high standards for myself.” 

“I don’t celebrate the positives because there’s always something to improve.” 

“I’m an anxious player.” 

It’s like they’ve accepted negativity and doubt is who they are. It’s how they define themselves now. 

Taking that on as who you are makes it really hard to develop a positive, confident and resilient mindset. Because you’ve already decided that’s not who you are. You’re Negative Nancy. End of story. 

With this identity the negative thought loops are on repeat. You continue to get frustrated with your performance. You continue to feel the pressure to perform. And you continue to reinforce the belief that this is just who you are. 

But, what would change if you believed you were a positive athlete? That high standards don’t mean you can’t lift yourself up after a mistake? That you can and do celebrate what you do well? That you’re not an anxious player but a player that feels anxiety sometimes? 

It’s possible. Because you get to decide what you believe about yourself and how you want to define yourself. 

So, ask yourself: 

• Who do you want to be as an athlete? 

• What do you want to believe is true about you? 

• How do you want to define yourself? 

Instead of believing that you are an anxious player, wouldn’t you rather believe that you are a confident player that can manage anxiety? 

Instead of defining yourself as a negative athlete, wouldn’t you rather define yourself as an athlete that is positive with themselves and others? 

It’s up to you. 

When you believe that how you want to define yourself is who you are, how do you show up? How do you feel? What results do you get? 

Isn’t that the reality you’d prefer? Not the one where you put yourself down, get in your head, and don’t play to your full potential. 

Are you willing to decide how you want to define yourself? 

If you are, take action. Visualize what it’s like to believe that who you want to be, IS WHO YOU ARE. Begin to show up how you would when you believe that the definition you choose is who you are. 

Show up ready to let go of mistakes because that’s who you are. You don’t let mistakes hold you back. Show up ready to believe in your ability to take the game winning shot, because that’s who you are. You are clutch and you know it. Show up with a plan to manage the nerves you feel pre-game, because that’s who you are. You don’t let nerves get in your head and hold you back from playing your best. 

Finding who you want to be, what it will look like to believe this definition of yourself, and making it a reality is what we do in the Mindset Mastery Program. We consistently put in the mental reps so each day you are getting closer and closer to owning who you are!

Schedule a consultation today to create your definition of who you are as an athlete.