{"id":19369,"date":"2024-08-22T13:47:11","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T17:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/?p=19369"},"modified":"2025-06-03T06:24:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T10:24:42","slug":"how-elite-athletes-think","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-elite-athletes-think\/","title":{"rendered":"How Elite Athletes Think"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/how-elite-athletes-think.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19370\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/how-elite-athletes-think.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/how-elite-athletes-think-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_can_you_create_positive_competitive_habits\"><\/span>How can you create positive competitive habits?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Article Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-elite-athletes-think\/#How_can_you_create_positive_competitive_habits\" >How can you create positive competitive habits?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-elite-athletes-think\/#Unfortunately_under_stress_late_in_a_game_or_when_an_athlete_tires_habits_take_over\" >Unfortunately, under stress late in a game or when an athlete tires, habits take over.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-elite-athletes-think\/#To_determine_your_competitive_habits_ask_yourself_the_following_questions\" >To determine your competitive habits, ask yourself the following questions:&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-elite-athletes-think\/#Related_Sports_Psychology_Article\" >Related Sports Psychology Article<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-elite-athletes-think\/#The_Fearless_Athlete_Digital_Download\" >The Fearless Athlete (Digital Download)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>The answer is by working on those habits during practice. How do you battle during competition and not back down?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, the answer is to compete in practice from start to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a saying, \u201cElite athletes practice in the same manner they want to compete.\u201d Too often, athletes think they can \u201cflip the switch\u201d and take their performance to a new level in competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, many athletes only try hard and focus when performing a drill they like. They only give their full attention when it\u2019s a skill they want to work on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These athletes may ignore minor aspects because they feel their impact is relatively insignificant. They pick and choose when to go full speed or give their complete focus to a task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In truth, practice habits become game-time habits. When you think talent is more important than practice, you will go through the motions during some practices or put in the work when it&#8217;s convenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Unfortunately_under_stress_late_in_a_game_or_when_an_athlete_tires_habits_take_over\"><\/span>Unfortunately, under stress late in a game or when an athlete tires, habits take over. <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are lax in practice or let up before practice finishes, you will be lax in competitions or let up before the final whistle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are not aggressive in practice and don\u2019t compete against your teammates during training sessions, those habits will appear in competitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you back down in practice when playing against the best player on your team, you will probably back down against elite players during competitive games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Practice prepares you physically and mentally to play. If you don\u2019t take full advantage of practice sessions, you develop non-productive habits, will underperform in competitions, and fail to reach your full athletic potential<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown has focused on preparing rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell for his first NFL regular season. To sharpen Mitchell\u2019s competitive mindset and develop positive habits, Brown challenges him every day in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>BROWN<\/strong>: \u201cI know these are camp battles, but ultimately, I\u2019m just trying to get him prepared for when we play in September, and that can carry on. He doesn\u2019t back down. He hasn\u2019t backed down not one time, and that\u2019s what I want to see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you constantly challenge yourself in training sessions and develop positive habits, competition challenges won\u2019t be daunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, you will feel more confident and up to the challenge in competitions because you passed the test in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"To_determine_your_competitive_habits_ask_yourself_the_following_questions\"><\/span>To determine your competitive habits, ask yourself the following questions:&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When I am tired in practice, do I continue to work hard until the end of the session?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do I say focused throughout practice? When I lose focus, do I recognize my lapse in concentration and reset my focus?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do I react to mistakes in practice? Will that reaction help my performance in competitions?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do I practice with a competitive mindset or go through the motions in training sessions?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Am I aggressive throughout practice, or do I let up at times?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do I bring a high level of intensity to practice?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These questions will give you insight into your mental habits. Once you gain insight, you can set some target areas to improve for future training sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-979ef383-5bc7-43ee-b8f9-249663ca1a6c\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Sports_Psychology_Article\"><\/span>Related Sports Psychology Article<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-deal-with-external-noise\/\">How to Deal with External Noise<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/leaving-a-positive-legacy-for-athletes-2\/\">Leaving a Positive&nbsp;Legacy for Athletes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-top-athletes-improve-focus\/\">How Top Athletes Improve Focus<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Fearless_Athlete_Digital_Download\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/the-fearless-athlete-digital\" title=\"\">The Fearless Athlete (Digital Download)<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/fearless-athlete-small.jpg\" alt=\"The Fearless Athlete Audio and Workbook Program\" class=\"wp-image-19344\" style=\"width:169px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Fearless Athlete\u201d audio and workbook program helps you overcome fear and anxiety to perform with trust and confidence. Learn how to overcome the mental handcuffs of perfectionism and fear of failure, leading you to perform with unshakeable trust in your skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>With the use of the \u2018<strong>The Fearless Athlete<\/strong>\u2019 and \u2018<strong>Ultimate Sports Parent<\/strong>\u2019 workbooks, I see subtle but significant results in a short period of time. My young athlete did not even know about positive self-talk until we started the program.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>~Adam, Sports Parent<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<div style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-button ab-block-button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/the-fearless-athlete-digital\" class=\"ab-button ab-button-shape-rounded ab-button-size-medium\" style=\"color:#ffffff;background-color:#3373dc\">Learn More<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How can you create positive competitive habits? The answer is by working on those habits during practice. How do you battle during competition and not back down?&nbsp; Again, the answer is to compete in practice from start to finish. There is a saying, \u201cElite athletes practice in the same manner they want to compete.\u201d Too often, athletes think &#8230; <a title=\"How Elite Athletes Think\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-elite-athletes-think\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How Elite Athletes Think\">Sport Psychology Article&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19371,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142],"tags":[389,250],"class_list":["post-19369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-psychology-tips","tag-elite-athletes","tag-sports-psychology"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.5.2 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There is a saying, \u201cElite athletes practice in the same manner they want to compete.\u201d How do you want to compete? 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