THE NO 1 REASON THAT DEFINES THE "GREAT FROM THE GREATEST"

Today I will discuss one of the most neglected topics in not only India but also the world: "MENTAL HEALTH" and, in more scientific terms, "PSYCHOLOGY." What exactly is mental health? The WHO defines mental health as "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to his or her community." A correct state of mind is important for every individual because it determines your focus and quality of work, and it is especially important in an athlete's performance.

 If we look at the greatest athletes and read their stories, we see how mentally focused and strong they really were from their childhood itself, and honestly speaking, no matter how talented you are, if you're not in the right frame of mind in training or during a competition, then forget winning even executing the skill would become a challenge unless you're someone like Usain Bolt ,  He stated that when he won the Junior Champs, one of the most prestigious competitions in Jamaica, where track and field is a highly respected sport, he felt a sense of accomplishment. The entire crowd chanted his name, but when he lost, they booed. That race, he said before going on track that he was mentally not in the right frame of mind because he was nervous of what the crowd would think if he lost, and the pressure got to him, and when the race started, it was like he could barely move because of his nerves and started late, but one thing he said after that race really inspired me, he said, "I am doing this for myself first and the people and country second" and after that there was no looking back or him,  He did not succumb to pressure and simply enjoyed his sport and ,always use to joke around and be full of life before all of his competitions,  In fact, before the 2008 Olympics, he took a video of himself and promised to return with three gold medals, which he did. He not only returned with three Olympic gold medals, but he also broke three world records, making him the ultimate "GOAT."

So the greatest athletes do not become great by accident. They have what we call a "CHAMPION'S MINDSET," which is defined as: flexible and strong, they have the ability to cope with setbacks and obstacles, but they also have a strong will to succeed and overcome any failures that come their way. It is that strong belief in themselves that keeps them mentally adaptable and resilient.

All athletes make mistakes, and no one is perfect. Just because they are the best does not guarantee that they will always deliver the best performance all the time, their mind messes with them as well especially in big competitions like the Olympics where the pressure on athletes is at an all time high , All athletes make mistakes, and no one is perfect, here is an example:  Everyone expected Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast of all time and the 2016 four-time Olympic gold medalist and the most decorated gymnast ever, to return with golds in the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, but during the Olympics team finals in her first apparatus, vault, she lost awareness and control of her body while performing the yerochenko  { 2.5 twist } and ended up doing 1.5 twist instead luckily she landed safely but getting lost in twisting or any element is dangerous. You could get injured badly which could even be career-ending but due to all her experience in the sport she could somehow manage to land safely, after that she left the podium and withdrew herself from the team finals and she could have just left and avoided the reporters but when asked about her withdrawal she replied saying ““To focus on my wellbeing,” she said. “There is more to life than just gymnastics" Later on, she discovered she had twisties, which is a condition in which you have no control over your body and the more you psych about it, the worse it gets. Twisties can spiral, causing an athlete to doubt herself/himself at a high level, actively making you feel you are not the calibre of athlete that you are, but even though she was going through such a difficult time, here is what Biles said about MENTAL HEALTH in an interview,  “I say you should put your mental health first cause if you don’t then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to succeed as much as you want to so it’s on you sometimes to even sit out of the big competitions to focus on yourself because that is what shows how strong of a competitor & person that you really are, rather than just battle through it” She got a lot support when she made this decision some of the biggest artists like Justin bibber posted for her on Instagram saying, “Nobody will ever understand the pressures you face! I know we don’t know each other but I’m so proud of the decision you made to withdraw.”

"It's as simple as - what does it mean to gain the entire world but forfeit your soul?" he continued. Our no's can be more powerful than our yes's. When what you normally enjoy begins to steal your joy, we must take a step back and assess why."

So, taking care of your mental health will only help you succeed, prevent you from burning out, make you feel more confident, and make you enjoy your sport even more.

Here are a few pointers to help you stay mentally focused :

* Don't doubt your abilities or compare yourself to others.

* It is normal to feel nervous, scared, or fearful before a competition; however, you should accept those feelings and try to remain confident and calm, allowing those feelings to overpower those that make you doubt your ability, and always "be in the present."

* Remember that you are performing for yourself first and for the people second, you are not required to please anyone with your performance

* As I previously stated, not all  days can be perfect, so you must know when to set priorities for your mental health.

* If you are feeling anxious or nervous before a competition, talk to someone who can calm you down and support you. Surround yourself with people who make you feel worthy and confident, but most athletes prefer to be alone and listen to music to stay calm and focused before competitions.

* Promote awareness about "mental health" to all of your teammates, coaches, friends, family, and so on. Because the more people who make an effort to understand the true meaning of "Good Mental Health," the better it will be for athletes.

* So these are just a few pointers to help you feel mentally fit before, during, and after your performance or training. The first step toward becoming a better athlete is to take care of your mental health and to develop a strong mindset, because the mind is what truly defines a "CHAMPION."

CONCLUSION

To be honest, it takes time to develop such a mindset , you only get stronger over time, and the same is true for your mind, but that will only happen if you start now, so you should take small steps to care for your mental health. Every athlete should take little time out for themselves to remind them of their self-worth, the reason why they enjoy their sport, and they should also meditate to clear their mind while not thinking of anything except the flow of their breath doing this everyday either in the morning or evening before or after training or even before going to bed , start gradually and then make it a routine cause taking care of one’s mental health will really have a positive impact on their performance

So, if you're not taking care of your mental health, you should start now, it's never too late to start doing the right thing

 Let me know what you think on this weeks topic ? Share this with your teammates, coaches, and family to raise awareness about this issue.