Adversity is something that most athletes will face at some point in their lives. Whether it comes from losing a big game, from making a mistake that costs his or her team the championship or from not getting much playing time for one reason or another, adversity is an issue that all but the most gifted athletes must deal with. What is important is not what happened in the past, but how the athlete deals with the adversity. Setting goals in youth sports and working to achieve them is one of the best ways to overcome adversity.
Bouncing back from adversity is of major importance for an athlete, because failing to do so can result in losing confidence and possibly even getting discouraged enough to stop playing sports all together.
In order to overcome adversity, it is important that an athlete have a resilient mindset.
One way to have a resilient mindset is to have commitment to desired goals, demonstrated through ongoing perseverance and determination. It is important for an athlete to be committed to their goals, because focusing on them and being determined to reach them can give an athlete the motivation required to overcome any obstacles they might be facing.
Another way to have a resilient mindset is to have control over one’s future and environment. While there are many factors than cannot be controlled, such as an opponent’s skill or ability, it is important for an athlete to focus on what can be controlled and to use it to his or her advantage. By paying special attention to what is within one’s control, such as how hard one trains, a person can make overcoming adversity easier.
A third way to have a resilient mindset is to accept the challenge of adversity. Facing adversity is never an easy thing to do, but if an athlete sees it as a challenge to be overcome, they may have an easier time dealing with it. After accepting a challenge, people are often motivated to succeed, no matter what it takes. This can be applied in the same manner, as somebody who may not have had the guts to face down their adversity might take heart and be more inclined to do so if they see it as a challenge.
Adversity is not an easy demon to face, but by following these steps, it can be made easier. If you want to be a part of a youth sports program that teaches it athletes to overcome adversity click here: STACK Sports Mahwah
