State Tournament Hype
Ben Askren jumps into the topic of wrestling state tournaments. They are right around the corner with some states holding their tournaments this week. The hype and excitement surrounding high school state tournaments are enormous. Many people listening to Mental Mondays have dreamed about winning state titles since they first started wrestling. This causes wrestlers, coaches, and parents to add more emphasis and pressure on the wrestler. This can be detrimental to performance and therefore the outcome of the match.
Keep It the Same
Askren talks about speaking up to the people in your life who have the potential to stress you out before the match. Don’t be afraid to tell them the way you’re feeling and the kind of motivation you need to succeed. Don’t lie to yourself by saying, “This isn’t a championship match,” or “This match isn’t important,” when it is. What you want to do is keep a regular schedule and maintain the same preparation as you would for any other match. Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed or overexcited. Working yourself up or trying to change the things that got you to this moment is only bad for your performance. Askren is going through a similar situation right now. With his UFC debut set for March 2nd, Askren has tons of people asking him questions such as, “Is he nervous?” or “What will he do differently?” His mindset is that this is no different than his other 18 fights or the thousands of wrestling matches he’s competed in. He is going to go into the cage and do the same thing he’s always done.
Be You
Wishing everyone entering their state tournaments the best of luck, Askren leaves everyone with a summarized piece of advice. Perform the best you can. Worry about controlling the factors you can and not the ones you can not. Measure your success by identifying what is in your control and working hard towards improving those things. Don’t put a match on a pedestal or build it up in your head. By keeping the match regular and normal, you’re setting yourself up for success. Being calm and collected will keep you loose. By taking this advice and winning the mental aspect before the match even begins you’re setting yourself up for the win.
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