The Three Keys to Winning Athletic Events

• Physical Skills
  You need mastery of the necessary athletic skills, strength and stamina. To get this you need to practice, take lessons, play, buy good equipment and exercise.
  Barriers:
  Many people don't have the social support or inner drive to deal with the work it takes to be a winner.
  Recommendations:
  Find yourself a coach or mentor who loves your sport and respects you. Listen to his or her positive feedback in order to get the inspiration and motivation you need.

• Mental Skills
  You need to have a positive and specific focus for each time you participate in an athletic event.
  Barriers:
  Years of self-doubt, indecision, distraction and losses cause one to think negatively.
  Recommendations:
  Don"t hesitate to share your positive achievements in sports. Dwell upon these as much as possible, train yourself to see only positive outcomes when on the playing field.

• Emotional Skills
  You need to be aggressive, calm in the lead, and forgiving of yourself.
  Barriers:
  People often have inhibitions about being too aggressive with others, but they are more than willing to take out aggression on themselves. Also, the process of victory can be over-exciting causing mental confusion and panic.
  Recommendations:
  Consciously permit yourself to win, and realize that you lose nothing by defeating your opponents. Don't fantasize when in the lead, and if you make a mistake forgive yourself immediately and remember that sports are about recovery not perfection.