Jack Lesyk at the Ohio Center for Sport Psychology defines nine mental skills of successful athletes:

1. Choose and maintain a positive attitude.
2. Maintain a high level of self-motivation.
3. Set high, realistic goals.
4. Deal effectively with people.
5. Use positive self-talk.
6. Use positive mental imagery.
7. Manage anxiety effectively.
8. Manage their emotions effectively.
9. Maintain concentration.

It’s easy to see how these skills help athletes achieve success, but what about when someone is in a slump or injured? These low times are when the nine mental skills really come into play. Do you have what it takes to pick yourself up when you are down? Can you manage the emotions that come with losing? Do you have grit?!

When I lost my hearing about a year and a half ago, I also lost my balance. Suddenly, the athletic activities that I had enjoyed – running, tennis, biking – were out of my reach. This was a time when I really needed to work on the nine mental skills. So, I worked — and still work with– a Certified Mental Performance Consultant.

Choose and maintain a positive attitude.

I had to think of myself as an athlete — despite my disabilities. Rather than thinking of the many things I couldn’t do anymore, I had to focus on what I could do – like walking with hiking poles, or riding a bike with training wheels, for example.

Maintain a high level of self-motivation.

To maintain motivation, I scheduled with my trainer three times a week and met with my sport psychology consultant monthly. Also, I gave myself small rewards for accomplishments.

Set high, realistic goals.

I have signed up for 5K races with the end goal to run the whole way. I am unable to run more than a quarter mile now without getting dizzy, but I have set smaller, realistic goals to lead up to this high goal. With each race, I run a little further.

Deal effectively with people.

I need to ask for help in order to try new things. Playing tennis or doing yoga involves a little more help from the instructor. Asking for help was something that I was working on before I became deaf. It is important for everyone to know when to reach out. I have gotten better at asking for help.

Use positive self-talk.

Positive self-talk has been key to my emotional survival. I have worked on my self-talk. “It’s okay,” didn’t work, because it is not okay! A simple, “You got this, Cat” has pushed me through tears.

Use positive mental imagery.

I imagine that I am running in a straight line, that I am an elite runner with a beautiful stride. I pull up the image of my running through my favorite woods. These help me keep moving along.

Manage anxiety effectively.

I went suddenly deaf, and my friends, family, and I have limited sign language abilities at this point. So, I feel like I am in a foreign land. This inability to communicate is frustrating. To manage this anxiety, I often have to step away — take some deep breaths and utilize self-talk.

Manage their emotions effectively.

Hey – I am not perfect. I have had my tears. I think this is important. There is a time and a place for everything. I allow myself to feel the sadness for a limited time. Then I count my blessing and put on a smile, try to have a sense of humor about it.

Maintain concentration.

In the gym, I have to really focus to maintain my balance. If I don’t concentrate, I will fall over! It can be exhausting.

I take my own medicine and work with a Certified Mental Performance Consultant. This has made a world of difference to me during this major life transition. It is comforting to have somebody on my team, unrelated to me, who can coach me through this in a positive way. The 9 Mental Skills really come into play at the low points in your life. It’s not a time to take a break, it is a time to work on becoming a stronger person.