Mental Stamina

“There isn’t a person anywhere who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can.” -Henry Ford

When we think about stamina, we often think about physical stamina. For example, how long we can run on the treadmill before we need to rest. But just as important as physical stamina in sports is the idea of mental stamina. What is mental stamina? It’s the ability to maintain a high level of concentration for long periods even when you’re tired or discouraged. It’s is the drive to push beyond the point of wanting to quit. Sometimes it’s called mental toughness. Improving your mental stamina is not easy. In fact, it’s often what distinguishes the great athletes from the rest. Great athletes have the ability to block out distractions and fight off fatigue while maintaining proper technique. But they are not born with it! They work at it. You too can practice these techniques. But remember, mental stamina is a type of fitness. You have to practice often enough to keep your mind in shape. Otherwise, your endurance declines.

The opposite of mental stamina is mental fatigue. This is what happens when our brain gets overworked from sustained mental effort. This becomes exacerbated by distractions. When mentally fatigued, it is harder to maintain attention and focus. We become more easily distracted, preoccupied by irrelevant “trains-of-thought”.

Physical stamina combined
with mental stamina is the
key to outlasting your
opponent.

Something to Think About

In your own words, why do you think it is difficult to maintain a high level of mental stamina?

Why Do Our Minds Get Tired?

LACK OF ENERGY

Our brain, like any other
part of our body, has to
rest on occasion. Having
to mentally work for a
long period of time is
draining.

AMOUNT OF REST

If you’re not rested, your
brain will not give you
the results you want.

LACK OF MOTIVATION

And the less motivated
you are to concentrate
on a task, the sooner you
will become mentally
fatigued.

IN ACTION

Going into Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz were tied 2-2 in the series. Michael Jordan, who was suffering from a terrible stomach virus, was not expected to play. He played anyway. Despite being so weak that he sat hunched over during timeouts, Jordan found a way to get through it. “It was all about desire, he would later say. “Somehow I found the energy to stay strong.” Jordan scored 15 points in the fourth quarter and 38 for the game, as the Bulls won 90-87 on their way to their fifth championship. His coach, Phil Jackson, called it a legendary performance. At the end of Michael Jordan’s career there was almost no question that he was the best player in NBA history. He had an amazing ability to increase his level of play in a clutch situation. There are others who could jump higher or shoot better than Jordan, but when it came to mental stamina, no one came close.

When we become mentally fatigued, our ability to process information and perform tasks suffers. However, this is mostly the case with more complex tasks rather than simple ones. For example, you might be able to make a lay-up if you’re tired, but can you square up with good form to knock down a three- pointer? You can probably locate your fastball, but can you throw a good curveball without it hanging? It is these more technical tasks that begin to deteriorate as your brain starts to tire.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Mental stamina is a skill that we can acquire, but remember, our brains are just like a muscle. If we don’t
exercise and fine tune them on a regular basis, our stamina among other things, will suffer.

Learn How to Finish

Maintaining mental stamina throughout the game is hard. In the beginning of a game it may be easy, but many games are decided not in the beginning but towards the end. We know that distractions can sometimes get in the way. You start looking at the clock instead of playing the game. Irrelevant thoughts start to creep into your mind. These thoughts impair your mental and physical game. Learn to keep those distractions away like great teams and athletes do. It’s all about finishing what you started. Possessing mental stamina is critical for the athlete.

By the Way...

Having a high level of mental stamina improves your performance because sports movements become automatic, and you don’t have to concentrate on technique while you’re competing. Once you notice that you are playing better, it may motivate you to really separate yourself from competitors.

Mental Stamina Checklist

When you’re practicing...

Check for feelings of exhaustion...

o Could you keep playing?

Compare your habits to your teammates.

o Are you being outworked? Do others stay longer at practice than you?

Notice your performance when you’re tired

o Can you do something complex when you’re tired?

When you’re playing...

Check for patterns of diminishing performance

o Does your game get worse the longer you play?

“No building is better than its structural foundation, and no man (woman) is better than his (her) mental foundation.” -John Wooden, Legendary college
basketball coach

The Tools to Improve

Proven methods to raise your level of mental stamina. Trust us. They work.

Recreate the Game.

Objective: Practice how you play.Training to improve your mental stamina involves pushing yourself to maximum effort so that it feels like you’re competing. Recreate the environment of a game while practicing. Up your intensity level and imagine game situations. Also helps: Focus & Concentration & Motivation

Keep Pushing.

Objective: Work through physical fatigue. Push yourself when you’re tired. Don’t lose your intensity. Get your brain used to functioning on less than your best energy level. Also helps: Focus & Concentration

Pace Yourself.

Objective: Do tough tasks in “chunks”. If you have a daunting task ahead of you – like running a marathon – try to break it up into sections. First, run to the light post, then to the next, then to the next. Breaking the task up into small parts makes it more manageable and helps maintain your mental stamina. You’ll be running the full 26.2 miles in no time! Also helps: Focus & Concentration

Use the Rule of “Five More”.

Objective: Flex your mental muscle. When the point comes where you want to end a task, make yourself do five more. Do five more sit- ups, run five more sprints, read five more pages, etc. Working past the point of frustration helps build mental stamina, just as not giving up when your body gets tired helps build physical stamina. Also helps: Focus & Concentration

Other Helpful Tips...

  • Don’t get frustrated just because you make a mistake. Don’t get flustered by changes in momentum during the game.
  • Focus on the moment in front of you instead of winning or losing.
  • Don’t change your style of play just because something isn’t working. Stay patient.
  • Make sure you get enough sleep and have a regular sleep schedule.
  • Avoid drugs and alcohol—they have a persisting and negative effect on mental stamina.
  • Give yourself regular calming moments to give your mental stamina time to recover and peak when called upon.
  • Always challenge yourself with tough mental games.

Plan for Success

Think about some short and long term goals when it comes to mental stamina, and then complete the following sentences.


In the next week, I would like to

In the next month, I would like to

By the end of the season, I would like to

Before next season, I would like to

FINAL THOUGHTS.

The importance of mental stamina to your athletic performance cannot be overstated. It is often what separates the good from the great. Exercise your brain by pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone. You will be amazed and what you can accomplish.

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