Tips For Athletes To Get Motivated And Stay Motivated
- Whatever Life Throws
- Feb 7, 2021
- 7 min read
It's been a very unpredictable and crazy year! Somedays it feels like there is no end in sight. Seasons and meets have been canceled, throwing facilities and weight rooms closed, limited or no access coaches or trainers.. how do we stay motivated and on track with so many obstacles?
I wanted to create a list of ideas that could help athletes get though an unmotivated day, week, month, etc. Some of these tips I have used myself when my morale is low, others come from athletes I briefly interviewed so I could compile a diverse and effective list for anyone!
~ENVISION YOUR MAIN GOAL~
Something that has continually pushed me through the hard days is my main goal of becoming an Olympian! Refocusing on what your driving force is in this sport can help increase your motivation by reminding you that all of this training serves a bigger purpose! Maybe your big goal is to make it to the National Championship, throw a specific distance, score in your conference, or compete at the college level! Remind yourself continuously of that goal and believe that it can happen.. because it can! When training feels like a drag, refocus on WHY you are doing this in the first place and see if that helps sparks the fire within you!
~SET MICRO GOALS~
A great way to feel motivated is setting smaller, reachable goals! This can help you feel more accomplished! For example, you can create throwing-specific goals such as making sure that majority of your throws or drills are executing a certain technical cue correctly or having a set amount of repetitions at practice that you must do. In the weight room, set goals for the numbers you want to reach in specific lifts! I personally do this because it keeps me pushing for something each day! Throwing requires a lot of patience and usually results take time, consistency, and repetition. Establishing smaller goals can keep you feeling fulfilled on your journey!
~PRACTICE SELF-TALK~
Self-talk is a great way of being optimistic without limits. This can be in your head, written, or spoken! Try playing the “what if” game but make it 100% positive! Often we only think of negative "what if’s" and it’s easy to get caught up and feel sad. Feel free and get carried away with it! For example.. What if my throw comes together today? What if I had a perfect throw? What if I break my personal record today? What if I break my personal record every throw? Don’t worry about being “realistic” because you create your reality! This is a worry free game and nobody is judging. Speak into existence all of the possibilities! This can be very useful before competition as well!
~RECORD AND WATCH YOUR OWN FILM~
Relating what you are feeling in training and what you are seeing on film is a very beneficial tool for athletes! I film myself a little bit every practice so I can see how it compares with what I was feeling that day. It also gives me the opportunity to compare it to other days. For me, watching my film gives me the feeling of ownership over my throw. You can see where your improvements have come along as well as what needs more attention! When your motivation is low, seeing yourself and pouring more into your technique can revive the sometimes stale, repetitive days at practice and help familiarize yourself with your technique even more!
I linked some phone stands below that could help with recording at practice! I've used some like these and they are VERY convenient!
~WATCH OTHERS' FILM~
I've spent an EMBARRASSING amount of time watching videos of throwers but it's very important and beneficial to learn from the best! For athletes that may not have a coach available, watching elite throwers is a great resource when in a technical or mental funk. For technical purposes, what I have done is compared different videos of throwers to find similarities in the foundation of their throw. What do they all do that is relatively the same? How does that compare to what I see myself doing in my technique? There have been many times that I found pieces that I have been missing in my own technique by analyzing others! It can be also very motivating to watch elite throwers simply throw far and lift heavy weights! Even though we see their success, remember that we are all athletes who experience the same things; lack of motivation, technical funks that seem to never end, doubt, bad practices, bad meets.. if other athletes can overcome and flourish.. then so can you!
~FIND YOUR DAILY ROUTINE~
I'm a creature of habit. I love routine and doing the same things over and over again every day (maybe I'm just weird)! With how crazy this past year has been and will probably continue to be, a consistent routine can be quite difficult to find and could be causing a decrease in your motivation. Try your best at finding some form of consistency throughout your day! Maybe picking a specific time to train every day, make sure your homework is done by a specific time, find a consistent sleep schedule, or reward yourself daily with something that you love (mine's dark chocolate.. YUM!). Repetition in your life, like in throwing, is important and may be a routine is what you're missing in your training!
~CHANGE IT UP~
Like I mentioned, I love routine.. but after awhile it's refreshing to do something a little different to spice it up! Often I have to change up my workout playlist because I have heard the same hip-hop songs over and over again! You would actually be surprised at how many Disney songs or 2000's Hits can motivate you for a workout! Ha! Or if you can, change your environment! Try out a new gym, go for a walk (I do this at least once a week), find a new study spot, venture to new restaurant, find a motivational quote every morning.. something new that gets you excited for your day and might make it a little unpredictable! This can jumpstart your motivation and get you excited for another day!
~USE YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM~
Both throwing and non-throwing friends, family, teammates, and coaches can be a great resource when feeling down. What we do is hard! Having a support system behind you is extremely important for success! Don't be afraid to reach out and express what you are going through or feeling to others. Constantly shouldering any stress, anxiety, depression, and uncertainty by yourself can dwindle your motivation. Reach out, speak out, and know that you are not alone on this journey! I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for my support system! We all go through hard times in this sport so create a healthy line of communication with the people who care about you and can help guide you and provide the support you need!
~USE ONLINE RESORCES~
For those who do not have the luxury of working with a coach right now, there are many coaching services online that can help! Training by yourself can be extremely difficult, especially if you don't have any direction on how to progress your technique or how to build a solid weight training program. For those who can, invest in online coaching from a group or possibly ask another thrower for some help! (There are many that provide online coaching for free or a small fee depending on the athlete and how much coaching). There are always resources available!
~MANAGE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS~
For those of you who live in colder environments, training can be quite difficult. Having to throw in the cold snow.. yikes! I grew up in northern Indiana so I can relate! Do your best to accomplish what you came out to do if you're in a not-so-great training environment. Maybe it's not going to be your best technical work that day but if you go out with a plan in mind and determination to accomplish it, you will get progress from it! Keep in mind, sometimes throwing outside is not the best option. Use your best judgement and ask yourself, "Will I get better in these conditions?". Maybe the most productive option is to drill inside.
~FOCUS ON BETTERING YOUR LIFESTYLE~
Throwing is an all-consuming sport and it is just as important for us to take care of ourselves outside of the ring and gym. For me personally, I made it a priority this year to consciously eat healthier, better my mental health (mostly in the form of patience and acceptance), and listen to how my body feels. It's okay to take a mental health day because it's important to give your body and mind rest! You don't want negative outside factors creeping into your training. Staying organized is also a factor that can play into your daily motivation. Something like making your bed, avoiding procrastination, or creating a checklist/to-do list can make a difference in your motivation for training. It can make you feel more free and productive when your organized, which can carry over into a positive training experience! When your drive feels low, try focusing on tidying up other parts of you life. I promise you that you will see improvements in your morale!
~ROCK YOUR FAVORITE OUTFIT~
When I know I have a heavy lifting day but I'm just not feeling pumped, one things that gets me more excited and confident for training is wearing some of my favorite workout clothes! As the saying goes, "look good, feel good"! When I feel like I look good in my favorite leggings, shirt, and shoes, it gives me extra confidence to power through my lifts or discus practice! Confidence can go a long way and some days when you don't quite feel it on the inside, try creating it starting with the outside!
Here are some links to some of my favorite Amazon leggings and sports bra! They always give me a confidence boost!
~BE CAUTIOUS OF SOCIAL MEDIA~
It's very easy to get on a social media platform and see everyone's highlight reel. The majority of everything posted is an athlete completing a big lift or a far throw. It can be easy to compare ourselves and feel like we are falling short or behind! Let me tell you something I wish I was told long ago.. WE ALL STRUGGLE! It doesn't matter how old or how far you throw.. we all have horrible days, weeks, months, and even years! Some just have more experience in how to handle/train through them better! What you see on social media is just a clip of a good moment. What it doesn't show are the throws that went into the net that same day or the failed attempt at a PR in a lift. Don't compare yourself to others because your journey doesn't need to look like anyone else's!!! Success comes in many different ways so don't be fooled by what you see on social media. Just keep progressing your own journey!
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Overall, know that to be successful in this sport, it will take time, patience, hard work, and consistency. Every athlete experiences lack of motivation at times so I hope some of these tips can help when you need it! Feel free to leave a comment with a tip or trick you use!
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