Tenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

In this showcase, I will take the audience on how to get through adversity and be resilient. Mental toughness is like developing any other muscle, you have to train it. In my three-step program, I will educate the audience on what standing up means. It includes noticing, naming and giving a nod to the obstacle in front of you. Identifying the obstacle is the first aspect. And sometimes the obstacle is obvious and other times it is a bit more obscure. The second phase steps up. Stepping up is about doing the work. The way out is uncomfortable. It always is. And lastly, yet not least, is never give up. Do you know what happens to you when you quit? It makes you a quitter. And it writes itself into the neuroplasticity in the brain, making it easier to quit the next time. Becoming a peak performer requires you to out-think, out-train, out-last and out-perform your toughest competitor. This has got to be trained. You do this by the C’s: Commitment, Communication, Compromise, Control, CrossFit and character. Commitment - are you fully committed to doing whatever it takes to accomplish your goals? Communication - Make sure everyone knows the goal and the plan to get there. Compromise – Sometimes, you have to give some, to get some. Control – Not over one another, but of yourself, your emotions and your attitude. CrossFit – Preparing for the unknown and unknowable. Character – what you do when no one is looking.