Sport & Academic Success Use the Same Mental Skills

The mental and emotional skills necessary to succeed in sport and academics have many similarities, and I frequently make analogies for students. For example, if a student views a competition or a test with fear of making mistakes, being embarrassed or other negative consequences, then they are increasing the chances their worst fears will come true. This “fear of failure” can become a habit, and it can create “learned helplessness.”

Typically, people are hardly aware of the self-talk that is continually going on in their head. “I can’t do math” or “I can’t putt “ becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In their mind’s eye, they see that failure, thus they are actually practicing for it! Negative, self-defeating mental process is as true for academics as it is for sports.

In sports, the key is not to practice your mistakes by worrying about them. Mistakes are to learn from, but not to dwell on; one must steadfastly practice, physically and then mentally, doing the desired skill for the desired result. The athlete that understands the power of the mind is constantly practicing the feel, look and outcome desired on a daily basis.

This is especially true before competition, where experienced athletes do the mental work to “get in the zone” where they can bring to reality the physical skills and performance they have practiced in their mind. The mental practice of keeping perspective and delivering the performance they want is a dedicated, significant amount of work. This is the difference between the winners and losers, especially on an advanced competitive level.

So too, is the case for academics. Any child can improve their academic outcomes, often significantly, by using appropriate mental skills and thinking in a way that creates success, just like sports, if they are willing to make the effort

A similar mindset that works for competitive sport, works for academics. Again, it all depends on how the person thinks and the self-talk they use. Students often discover they self advocate for themselves very well in sport; they talk with their coach and other competitors, they study and follow their sport in the media, and think about how they can improve. Yet, for academics they just shrug off that they are not good at math, reading, writing, etc.

Here is how a conversation often goes:

“I’m not good at reading, that’s why I never do well in English (learned helplessness). I ask them, “Do you ever read books for enjoyment, like a good novel in the summer?“ Oh no!” They exclaim emphatically, “I don’t like to read unless I have to for school.” I then ask them, “How did they get to be so good at their sport?” Their reply is usually along the lines of dedicated hard work.

The rest of our conversation revolves around three themes: how effort and practice makes a difficult task easier, how having a positive attitude and thought process is necessary for success, and they are already experiencing this in their sport! Often they can make that connection, but they next face the fact that they don’t want (care) to be a good reader (as in, I don’t want to do what I don’t like to do).

My response is not welcomed, “Reading competency is a necessary skill for high school and college, not to mention the SAT. You have to work harder in high school just like you have to work harder for more elite competition.” Dubious eyes stare back at me. “You can’t play your sport in college unless you meet the minimum score required for the NCAA.” Oh, the shock!

Next, is the painful reality of necessary maturity; doing what one does not want to do because it must be done. The good news is, “You are able to be a good reader and do well in English, but you must “practice” reading, and go at it with the same positive mental and emotional attitude you already do in sport.” I explain being “learned helpless” and the power of creating a positive self-fulfilling prophecy. Most students, with coaching, can improve their academic outcomes.

Teaching athletes the “transfer of skills” they already use in their sport to academics is not unusual, but it does take some coaching because like any goal requiring effort, there are ups and downs. Overcoming difficulty and problems are invaluable in high school because teenagers still have parents, teachers and coaches that see them every day and care about them. This environment changes in college; students are significantly more on their own.

In fact, as quoted in the book, Colleges That Change Lives by Loren Pope, many colleges want a student who has overcome difficulty because important lessons have been learned, skills have been gained and self-confidence is stronger. The student who has faced difficulty and challenge, and has the mental skills and training to deal with it again, is what every parent really wants for their child. Sending your child off to college knowing they have had the experiences that will prepare them for college beyond grades is not just desirable, it is necessary.