Race preparation, the ten rules for a healthy mindset

Competition Preparation: Ten Golden Rules for a Healthy Competitive Mindset!

COMPETITION PREPARATION: TEN GOLDEN RULES FOR A HEALTHY COMPETITIVE MINDSET!

I FOCUS ON MYSELF, NOT MY OPPONENTS! MY FIRST GOAL IS PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT!

I COMPETE WITH COURAGE, CONFIDENCE AND BELIEF IN MY ABILITIES! THE RACE IS MY CHANCE TO SHINE!

I COMPETE WITH POSITIVE THINKING AND POSITIVE SELF-TALK, KEEPING MY ATTENTION ON THE PRESENT MOMENT IN THE RACE.

I FOLLOW MY PRE-RACE ROUTINE (WAKING UP, BREAKFAST, WARM-UP, PREPARATION IN THE CALL ROOM). I DO NOT DO ANYTHING NEW OR DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I USUALLY DO. EVERY SWIMMER HAS THEIR OWN PREPARATION ROUTINE AND STICKS TO IT.

I FOCUS ON THE FACTORS I CAN CONTROL IN MY PERFORMANCE (GETTING THE ELEMENTS OF MY RACE RIGHT). IF I KEEP THINKING ABOUT THE SWIMMERS AROUND ME, I LOSE CONTROL OF MYSELF.

I SUPPORT ALL MY TEAMMATES' EFFORTS BY CHEERING THEM ON AND BEING THERE IN THE STANDS, SO THEY FEEL THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BOOST OF THE TEAM'S SUPPORT!!

I FEEL NERVOUS!! I NEED A MANAGEABLE LEVEL OF NERVES (ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10, I SHOULD BE AT 4 TO 6). A MANAGEABLE LEVEL OF NERVES ENERGISES ME AND KEEPS ME ALERT SO I CAN PERFORM AT MY BEST IN MY RACE. HAVING NO NERVES AT ALL, JUST LIKE HAVING TOO MANY, CAN HOLD ME BACK FROM ACHIEVING A GOOD RESULT. YES TO NERVES, NO TO FEAR!!

IF MY NERVES OVERWHELM ME AT ANY POINT, I CAN PRACTISE DEEP BREATHING, REPLACE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS WITH POSITIVE ONES AND USE POSITIVE SELF-TALK (REPEATING SHORT PHRASES OR WORDS THAT GIVE ME STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE IN MY ABILITY TO ACHIEVE THE TASK AHEAD).

AFTER EVERY RACE, I FOCUS ON THE NEXT ONE, REGARDLESS OF THE RESULT. WHATEVER THE RESULT OF MY LAST RACE, I CANNOT CHANGE IT!! WHAT I CAN CHANGE IS HOW I PERFORM IN MY NEXT EVENTS.

SWIM WITH OPTIMISM AND ENTHUSIASM!!