Mental toughness includes multiple cognitive processes that help athletes navigate sports environments that exert internal and external forces; furthermore, these forces can adversely influence an athlete’s behavior and responses.
The essentials of mental toughness differ in the literature; however, common factors include motivation, attention, self-esteem, and coping (Guy, 2019). Mental toughness skills regulate cognitive and emotional elements that influence actions, and higher cognitive skill levels create performance stability and promote positive results (Behncke, 2004). Moreover, intentional mental skill training (MST) is essential to reaching your potential because personalized coaching expedites improvement and targets your needs (Ashbrook et al., 2018). For example, warm and calm weather changes to cold and rainy weather during a sports event, so an athlete must adapt or fall prey to the changes in weather due to emotional or cognitive factors: fear, anxiety, doubt, decision-making, strategy, and motivation. Therefore, developing cognitive and physical abilities is meaningful to an athlete’s mental toughness.
Validation
MST with a cognitive coach is significant to mental toughness because personalized training based on need expedites the development of cognitive abilities. The mental skills associated with mental toughness reduce stress and anxiety while boosting confidence and adaptability (Wu et al., 2021). Cognitive coaching in a 1 to 1 setting generates significant gains in mental capabilities and performance satisfaction (Wu et al., 2021; Ashbrook et al., 2018; Behnke, 2004). The results of MST take time to arise, but the data shows that competitive golfers reduced competition anxiety and dropped 1.73 strokes in competition (Ashbrook et al., 2018). The what, why, and how of MST are established in the research data, and the number of qualified cognitive coaches is increasing. Therefore, athletes trying to perform their best should include MST to foster mental toughness and secure their best sports performance results.
MST can include breathing, goal process, emotion regulation, positive reflection, and mindset development. A practical MST workshop develops mental skills over time; a pre-intervention gathers significant information about an athlete and determines the workshop design; and the workshop provides activities, feedback, and progress tracking (Dohme et al., 2020). Mental skills, also known as cognitive behavior, develop over time, but intentional training can expedite development (Connolly & Williamon, 2004). The primary purpose of including cognitive behavior training is to foster mastery of a capability. The benefits of MST are proven in the literature of multiple disciplines: military, psychology, sports, medical, and education. Therefore, consider adding a MST workshop in this year.
Experiences
Cognitive behavior development supports physical skills, emotion regulation, and decision-making; furthermore, developing focus, confidence, motivation (stability), and emotional control. With a cognitive coach, training is science-based, and a planned program is more effective than trial and error. Watching an inspirational video or reading an article about sports psychology may be slightly meaningful, but this is a trial-and-error method, and this methodology can be time-consuming and a short-term solution. Scientific data has debunked many sports psychology and learning beliefs. Furthermore, the benefits of intentional mental toughness training, which are significant to skill mastery and peak performance, are being proven through science. Therefore, a comprehensive MST program with a cognitive coach is essential to cognitive behavior development because workshops facilitate positive competition results or skill mastery.
Inference
Mental toughness is crucial to elite athletes striving for peak performance in a highly competitive environment or a recreational athlete seeking mastery of a skill. Free-flowing movements, emotion regulation, positive mindsets, and quicker decision-making are key benefits of mental toughness. The data shows that it takes time for MST to generate significant results (Ashbrook et al., 2018); therefore, sports psychology workshops that develop cognitive behavior over time are essential. A qualified cognitive workshop develops the mental skills associated with mental toughness, and the qualified workshops are characterized by cognitive coaching, mental exercises, the athlete’s daily efforts, a personalized plan, and transformative dialogue. Therefore, consider adding a Hensey Sports Cognitive Coaching Worksop to your sports training this year.
