I’m a big believer in creating a mental toolbox that is filled with tools you can use in practice and on game day to fix the inevitable “flat tires” you will experience as a competitive athlete. Usually when I talk about mental tools, I mean tools such as imagery, routines, breathing, and self-talk. But there’s another mental area that I discuss all the time with the athletes with whom I work, yet isn’t really thought of as a mental tool. Moreover, when I ask athletes what are the essential mental areas that impact their sports efforts, it is one of the most commonly mentioned.
What amazing mental tool am I referring to? Well, fun, of course. That may not make much sense to you because fun is something you experience, not something you use. Yet, by using fun as a mental tool, you can full advantage of the many benefits it can offer in many aspects of your athletic life.
Psychological Benefits
- Increases motivation because we like to do things that are fun.
- Builds confidence because you feel good about yourself.
- Prevents overthinking because you have no need to think.
- Keeps you focused in the present.
- Reduces distractions, such as thinking about results or comparing yourself to others.
- Provides perspective by reminding you why you compete (because it’s fun!).
- Puts you in a positive frame of mind.
Emotional Benefits
- Generates positive emotions, such as happiness, joy, excitement, inspiration, and pride.
- Counters negative emotions that can creep in such as fear, worry, frustration, and despair.
Physical Benefits
- Reduces stress.
- Relaxes your muscles.
- Deepens your breathing.
- Slows your heart.
Fun should be the #1 reason why you compete in your sport. Gosh, if it’s not fun, what’s the point! Yet, there are a lot of forces that can suck the fun right out of your sport including:
- Slow progress.
- Disappointing results.
- High-pressure parents.
- A ‘winning is everything” sports culture.
Even if you’re really good, competing in sports without it being fun becomes joyless and the victories just won’t pay the emotional bills for very long. Here’s the challenge though. Being the best athlete you can be isn’t always fun. It can be psychologically wearing, emotionally difficult, and physically grinding. Yet, those trying times are when it’s most important for you to cultivate fun in your sports participation.
You need to approach fun in the same way you approach your use of other mental tools. In other words, you use it in a conscious and proactive way in which you create fun rather than hoping you have fun. How do you ensure that you have fun in your sport? No, you can’t force yourself to have fun. But you can build things into your athletic life that are fun. Moreover, fun as a mental tool can be used in practice when you’re struggling. You can use fun on game days, especially when it’s a big game or there are tough conditions. You can also leverage fun consistently in your sports’ calendar to relieve the stress and wear-and-tear of a long season. You can:
- Watch an entertaining TV show or movie, or play games with your friends the night before a game;
- Hang out with teammates who are fun to be with in the start area (and stay away from teammates who are too serious or stressed out!);
- Listen to music that makes you happy;
- Goof around and keep things light until it’s time to put on your “game face.”
- Build fun activities (e.g., games, movies, other sports) into your weekly practice schedule.
- Have a fun hobby that helps you maintain balance (e.g., playing a musical instrument, reading,
Here’s the bottom line. If you’re having fun, you’ll be motivated, confident, relaxed, focused, and feeling excited to be out there. It just so happens that these mental states are ideally suited for giving your best effort in practice, playing your best on game day, and keeping mentally and physically sharp throughout the long season. And the end result will be that you enjoy yourself immensely, improve steadily, perform well, and more likely achieve the athletic goals you’ve set for yourself. And it all starts with a just little fun!
Want to make mental training a part of your game season program? Take a look at my online mental training courses. Need more pers
