How to get out of rock bottom?
How to Get Out of Rock Bottom
Recently, a friend called on my knowledge of sports psychology to solve a problem that is not uncommon in athletes. No athlete likes to be in this situation... the famous hitting rock bottom. If you’ve played competitive sports, you most likely know what I’m talking about. It’s that slump where nothing seems to work for us, where luck is never on our side, where performances are disappointing, where confidence is absent, and especially this streak where it seems impossible to get out. Even professional athletes are not immune to this kind of difficult streak. How to get out of it? This is what I present to you in this article.
As a possible solution, what do we hear most often from coaches when a player is hitting rock bottom? “GET BACK TO THE BASICS” Well... that’s exactly it!
Getting out of your torpor can be as simple as that: getting back to the B.A.S.I.C.S! Here are six possible solutions that can make all the difference. Here is my definition of “getting back to the basics.”
B = Best Moves
No need to hide your head in the sand. You probably know you’re on a bad streak. However, now is not the time to get discouraged and especially to forget the good things you do. The first piece of advice to get out of your rock bottom is to rethink your best moves lately. In other words, ask yourself the following questions:
“What was I doing right before I fell into my difficult streak?”
“What am I doing right now?”
Despite the presence of grey clouds, you can still pull out a few things that are going well, things that you are doing the right way. Believe me, you can always find some sunshine, and you must do it!
Also, reflect on some of your best career performances to bring out what you were doing right then. Are you still doing these things right now? What changed? Sometimes we simply forget what made us successful and change our style of play without realizing it.
Example: Ben is on a 10-game streak without scoring a goal. He's wondering and can't understand why he hasn't been able to score lately. Thinking back to what made him successful before, he might realize that in the last ten games, he hasn't appeared close to the opposing team’s net and that his level of intensity is low. So, Ben realizes that if he wants to be successful, he has to be more intense and positioned in front of the opponent's net. This is where he will be successful. If he applies this strategy, he will undoubtedly find good feelings and interesting results.
Take the trouble to rethink what you were doing right when everything was going well. For example, were you more intense? Did you take the time to better prepare yourself physically and mentally before your competition? What was your level of concentration? Thanks to this reflection, you will probably come up with a few possible solutions to help you, and very soon this painful sequence will be behind you.
A = Accept
The second thing you have to do is accept that this kind of streak can happen in the course of a season or a career. You have to realize that perfection is not of this world and that no athlete is immune from a bad period. In other words, we must stop hitting ourselves on the head. Now is not the time to get discouraged. Now is not the time to make it worse with a bad attitude. However, we shouldn't just wait and watch the situation escalate. YES, we have to accept that it happens with troughs of waves (we are human after all), but we must quickly place ourselves in “solution mode.”
You must act.
Being proactive.
You have to want to get out of it.
S = Simplify
My third tip for overcoming rock bottom is to keep it simple. What happens when you are suddenly in a series of failures? We try to do too much to get by and make things more complex than they should be. We must therefore come back to something simpler but do it extremely well. Focus on the things that are in your control that will bring you success. Doing less is better. That’s exactly what I’m recommending here. Do less, but do it well.
Go with basic moves but put all your attention and energy into making them well. Example: You are a tennis player and you have a bad streak in a match. The match is to your opponent's advantage because you are making way too many errors. You have to act and find solutions to get out of it. So, instead of trying to do too much and attempting too complicated shots to destabilize your opponent, come back to the basics of tennis: keep the ball in play! To get out of your trough, you can use one of your strengths (say your speed of movement) and focus only on keeping a lot of balls in play. It's simple but if you do it very well, you will find quickly success. So remember, "less is more!"
I = Intensity
Be all in and bring maximum intensity. You need to give it your all and bring the highest level of intensity possible. When you are going through a difficult streak, it's easy to lose your intensity and focus. However, this is exactly the time when you need to push yourself harder than ever before. Focus on each moment, each move, and each play, and give it your all. Bring your A-game every time and fight until the end.
Example: Imagine you are a basketball player who is in a slump, and your shooting percentage has been decreasing with each game. To increase your intensity, you need to work on your shooting every day. You need to practice your shots with maximum intensity and focus. Take each shot as if it were the most important shot of the game. When you step onto the court, bring your intensity, hustle, and fight to win. Remember, intensity can be the difference between success and failure.
C = Commit
Ultimately, the last thing you must do to find your way back to victory is to commit yourself 100%. If you want to step back and be successful again, you have to put all of your energy into it. Nothing will be offered to you for free. Only you have the power to get out of this trough. It will go through effort and perseverance. It will take the trouble to provide extra effort in training to find good sensations.
Commit to your goal and your journey to get there, to doing whatever it takes to get out of your slump. Commit to pushing yourself harder than ever before. Remember that the road to success is not always easy, but with commitment and dedication, you can overcome any obstacle.
Example: Let's say you are a marathon runner, and you've hit a wall in your training. You're feeling discouraged and demotivated. To get out of your slump, you need to commit yourself 100% to your training. You need to set a clear goal for yourself and commit to achieving it, no matter what. Create a training plan and stick to it. Wake up early and go for your run, even if you don't feel like it. Commit to making healthy food choices and getting enough rest. With commitment and hard work, you can overcome any obstacle and achieve your goals.
S = Support
Surround yourself with people who will support you during this phase. Your friends, teammates, and coaches can provide you with accountability as you create a plan to get out of rock bottom. Keeping your feelings to yourself may have a more detrimental effect on your well-being. Don't hesitate to ask for help. A mental health professional or coach can help you quickly overcome your struggles and achieve new success!
In conclusion, hitting rock bottom can be a challenging experience for any athlete. However, by getting back to the basics and following these six tips, you can get out of your slump and back on the path to success. Remember to reflect on your best moves, accept that slumps can happen, simplify your approach, bring maximum intensity, and commit yourself 100% to your journey. With hard work and dedication, you can overcome any obstacle and achieve your goals.
To learn more visit: https://www.MaximumComposure.com
Next read: https://mentalaccelerator.com/resource/purpose-vision/what-is-your-legacy-as-an-athlete