On the second to last day of Major League Baseball’s regular season, the St. Louis Cardinals found themselves in a must-win situation to keep their playoff hopes alive. After three innings, the Cardinals were already down five runs. They quickly made up the deficit, but were again overtaken by the Houston Astros. Down a run with little hope left, the Cardinals not only tied the game and took the lead, but also scored thirteen runs and won the game easily.

This game showed the patience, confidence, and relentlessness of the Cardinals and demonstrated things every athlete can learn from.

No player or team ever wants to be down early, especially in a big game. Instead of getting down on themselves and giving up, the Cardinals fought back. They did this by executing the little things (drawing walks and getting singles), instead of trying to hit home runs. In any sport, it is important to understand how to rally back from being down. In golf, for example, one cannot make up numerous shots on the field in one hole. It takes patience. One must do the little things right, which means sticking to your routine, maintaining rhythm, and executing your swing. When a golfer tries to do too much, he or she tends to fall into a deeper hole.

The Cardinals also displayed confidence. Despite being down early, they did not panic. With the talent on their team, they knew they had the ability to come back. They believed they were the better team and were not going to let up until they proved that. This mentality can be very beneficial to any sport competitor. If you truly believe that you are better than the person/team you are competing against, you will exude confidence. Having confidence will allow you to accomplish your goals more easily due to trusting your abilities.

The most fascinating part about the Cardinals game was that they ended up winning 13-6. They did not let up after scoring their seventh run; they continued piling on the runs. Doing this is something many athletes struggle with. Being in the lead can, at times, feel as if it is enough. It’s not. It’s never enough. To be a mentally strong competitor in any sport, one must be relentless. In football, for example, having a one touchdown lead should be motivation to make it a two touchdown lead, and so on. This relentless attitude will help you succeed in your respective sport.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

The Green Bay Packers start their 2011 title defense with a 42-34 victory over the New Orleans Saints. There has been much talk about a Super Bowl hangover and how difficult it is to repeat as champion. In fact, many recent champions have had troubles just getting back to the post season the following year.

There are certain main elements that contribute to this let down for many champions. A feeling of complacency tends to take over after achieving your ultimate goal. Becoming overconfident traditionally is a fixture in the mindset after winning it all. Also, many champions become satisfied once they hoist that trophy in the air.

The above mentioned and similar factors are a recipe for disaster once you’ve reached that mountain top. An athletes’ hunger and desire aren’t quite the same. The work ethic put in doesn’t have the same intensity. The off-season preparation lacks the focus needed to get back on top.

Many athletes go wrong thinking they can just show back up and do it all over again. Preparation is the key to avoid a let down after winning it all. The team and/or individual must create good habits right away both mentally and physically. There has to be strong focus and attention to detail during the preparation phase for the upcoming season or event.

Work hard at your craft as if you have never won anything. Prepare yourself mentally by being efficient and detailed oriented during your practices. Drive and push yourself to be better than you were a year ago, a month ago, a week ago, a day ago. Be specific in the areas where you want to get better. Develop a stronger focus on execution of the task you want to master.

Creating detailed mental habits of execution will keep your mind from allowing the outcome of your achievements to be the focal point. Slacking off becomes an option once complacency settles in. Don’t fall in to this trap. Don’t allow complacency to be an option. Prepare yourself during practice and create good habits right away as you get ready for your next event or season. Accomplish these tasks and the likelihood for more success will be much higher moving forward.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex