Mental Gymnastics

Watching the Olympics is always inspiring. The stories of grit and determination draw us in. We hear about the comeback stories, the defending title stories, and the opportunity to “be here” stories. All athletes sharing and surpassing hurdles and obstacles played out on a very public stage.

The invisible mental work is as critical as the visible physical excellence. The constant checking in, grounding, and adjusting to bring body and mind in sync with each other. We can see it happening behind their eyes, like a wizard behind the curtain, while we watch wondering, “How do they do it?”  

How can we learn from these athletes, these mental gymnastic masters, in how to engage and navigate our every day “sport” of life? We may not all possess the mental and physical ability that these super athletes do, but we can take a page from their mental preparation and reset stamina. A big part of their “how” is their stamina to focus, and filter out every distraction within and around them. When they have a bobble or glitch, they instinctively reset and redirect. This happens in the microseconds of affirmations, corrections, and adaptations to push beyond doubt and chase excellence. The lanes of focus are narrow so the zig-zag is tight and quick to snap back.

One universal technique we know and hear about is incorporating specific breathing before, during, and after an athlete’s performance to generate calm and focus. I recently read a great HBR article by Michael Watkins on 7 Ways to Weave Mindfulness into Your Workday, which provides some great strategies to increase our mental athletic skills. We may not be balancing on a beam, serving an ace, or holding our breath underwater, but we are navigating the intricacies of everyday life that require tapping into the same mental skill set. 

Who’s your mental athlete icons? We have so many to choose from this 2024 Olympic Games. Let them be your motivator, your “mental skills teacher”, as you develop your mental mastery.