Consistency Problems

Strategies From Psychologists

Strategies Given by the Psychologists of Olympic Medalists

Consistency, according to the psychologist, is not about being perfect in every performance but about maintaining a stable psychological state. He pointed out that one common issue among athletes is waiting for a successful action to restore their confidence after a mistake. However, he argued that true consistency comes from maintaining confidence even after a mistake. Athletes are encouraged to engage in positive self-talk immediately after an error to regain focus and confidence without waiting for an external event, like a successful play, to lift their spirits. Consistency should come from confidence in one’s abilities, not in the results of their recent performances.

Moreover, the psychologist stressed the importance of finding a rhythm and routine that works for each athlete. Different methods work for different people, but the experts suggested that when an athlete finds their ideal routine, they stick to it, because consistency in results comes from consistency in preparation. Having similar weekly training, nutrition, and sleep habits is what is most important. It is important to remember that consistency comes from repeating the same processes over a long period of time, so once you find a rhythm that works for your body and mind, you need to repeat that over and over again over the course of a season in order to see results. This requires discipline, which is the hallmark of an elite athlete.

Finally, maintaining motivation through all the hard work is integral, which is why psychologists think that taking small breaks to loosen up from the the rhythm of crazy work helps keep an athlete’s excitement and passion alive, preventing burnout. Even the best athletes in the world, who are true professionals in what they do, take breaks to relax and enjoy themselves every now and then, and though there aren’t many of these moments during a season, entirely omitting them from the schedule would most likely see even the most elite sportspersons lose their edge and freshness. For this reason, after weeks and months of regular hard work, if you start to feel like it’s time for a weekend off, then take it! Psychologists and doctors urge athletes to listen to both their bodies and their minds, because oftentimes, taking a needed break is all that is needed to recover from a string of inconsistent performances.

Advice From Current Athletes

Examples of Strategies Used by Select Athletes

Lila Southiere (Softball) – Lila noted that for her, the biggest challenge to her consistency is staying motivated when things aren’t going well. To combat this, she makes sure that the way that she analyzes each of her performances remains consistent: After any game, whether it was her worst or her best, she gives herself a couple of hours to relax and deal with whatever her emotions are before reflecting on it analytically. She avoids thinking about the game immediately after to prevent spiraling into overly positive or negative thoughts which can derail her upwards progression. There is always something positive and negative in absolutely every one of her performances, so several hours after a game, Lila will write down a couple of thoughts about what went well, and which things she still needs to work on, then she creates a plan to continue working on all of those things before her next game, and finally, after all this is done, she erases all memory of that game from her memory, focusing solely on the next game or practice. The only thing that she tries to remember from a performance are the things that she wrote down.

Jack Hynes (Basketball) – Consistency in basketball is challenging, as performance can fluctuate drastically, like going from scoring 37 points in one game to just 2 in another. Having consistency in the way you practice is crucial to being consistent over the course of a season, such as having the same warmup before every practice and game, and making sure that your training and dietary habits over the course of a week look the same, regardless of who the opponent is or what the schedule looks like. Inconsistent shooting performances do occur, but for Jack, one thing that should always remain constant is his work ethic, especially on defense; if he is running hard on and off the ball, he will still be able to affect the game. Basketball is a multi-faceted sport, and though shooting is a key part, a poor shooting performance can always be compensated by a game full of defensive stops if Jack is always offering 100%.

Adam Kuechler (Soccer) – Adam is a firm believer that consistent performances are rooted in his confidence, and he thinks that his confidence should not be based on his results; he can’t only perform well when things are going smoothly. For this reason, his confidence is built around his mindset and his ability to work around his body’s limitations on any given day, whether that is a day that he is feeling certain pains or just not shooting the ball well, for example. Even when certain aspects of his game aren’t feeling sharp, Adam focuses on “solving the puzzle,” to figure out which other things he can focus on in order to still make an impact. For instance, if he is unable to dribble the ball well during a particular game, focusing more on passing, shooting, and defending would be a way to ‘solve the puzzle.’ Knowing his strengths and what he can contribute is essential, as there’s always something he can offer, no matter how he is feeling. Approaching his performances in this way and analyzing how best to maximize his output is how Adam tries to have a consistent impact on every single game that he plays in.

Actionable Advice:

Athletes should develop mechanisms for coping with failure, such as setting short-term goals for the next game or practice, which can help maintain motivation and freshness. Keeping a performance journal might also aid in identifying patterns or areas for improvement. Athletes who approach their sport with a mindset geared toward continuous improvement and adaptation are better equipped to maintain high performance levels across competitions. It is important to remember that improvement is not always linear, so being consistent in your approach to your sport and trusting that it will yield results over time is really important

Embrace a growth mindset and view each competition and training session as an opportunity to learn and improve. Consistency is cultivated through a balance of rigorous physical training, mental resilience practices (e.g., working with a sports psychologist, visualization), and the strategic use of rest and recovery. You need to be honest with yourself and know what it is that you need to do in order to prepare for the next big event.

To mitigate the risk of burnout, athletes are encouraged to cultivate a deep, intrinsic love for their sport, engage in regular mental health practices, and maintain a healthy balance between training, competition, and rest. Embracing sports with a focus on the joy of participation, rather than solely on outcomes or achievements, can help sustain long-term engagement and performance. Recognizing the signs of burnout and proactively adopting strategies to manage stress and maintain a positive perspective are crucial steps in a successful athletic career.

Advice From Coaches

Insights From Former Athletes Who Are Current Coaches

Coach Erin Dromgoole (Former College Distance Runner)– Coach Dromgoole mentions that over the course of a season, an athlete will face a lot of ups and downs. The key to consistency for Coach Dromgoole is to set long term goals before each season as well as short term goals before each race, and to look at a season solely based on her ability to attain her goals. These goals would fall into the categories of: a basic goal, a reach goal, and an ecstatic goal. After any race, Coach Dromgoole would go back and look at where she stands in her pursuit of her long term goals for the season, before going back to analyze how she did in her pursuit of the short term goals. Handling disappointment when falling short of all of these objectives involves allowing herself a brief period to mourn, but it’s important to set a mental time limit for this. Afterward, it’s crucial to reset, refocus, and perhaps engage in another goal-setting session before the next event. She only reflects on the experience to identify valuable lessons for the future, not to get overly caught up in her emotions. The goal is always to improve and learn as much as possible, so each race should be seen as a learning opportunity in an athlete’s journey of development.