Mental Toughness Lessons From Olympians
With the start of the summer Olympics, kids and teens have lots to learn from Olympians—dedication, perseverance and courage, for example.
Daniel B. Peters, PhD., a psychologist who specializes in children and families, notes that many Olympians begin their training in early elementary school, even living in dorms instead of with their families.
Such sacrifices can show kids just how dedicated these athletes have to be to achieve their goals.
“They (Olympians) become great not only because of exceptional talent, but after years of practice and thousands of hours of training,” Peters says in a Huffington Post blog. “Dedication is what our kids need to accomplish any goal set before them, or goals set by themselves.”
Perseverance is another important trait displayed by Olympians, and it can inspire our young athletes to tenaciously hang in there when things get rough.
“They (Olympians) need to persevere when injured and when they have trouble mastering a new trick, strategy, or style. They do not give up when their coach and the media is critical of them. They do not give up when they are told they may not have what it takes to be among the world’s greatest athletes,” says Peters.
Olympians also model courage by taking risks and hanging in there when they encounter obstacles, another trait that’s inspiring for young athletes. They have to do this when the whole world is watching.
“When they fall, they have to get back up and continue their performance. They have cameras on them when they receive their undesired score. They are interviewed about their poor performance and asked how they feel about it. And then they go back on the ice or slopes and give their best effort — for all to watch and judge again. Our children need courage to take chances and pursue their goals.”
With our Kids’ Sports Psychology website and our programs for parents and young athletes, we aim to help you teach kids some of these important lessons in sports.
Related Articles on Youth Sports:
- How This Olympian Overcame Adversity After Almost Losing Both Legs
- Playing Through Adversity
- Focus on Fun For Your Athletes, Not Scholarships
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