The Mindset of a Champion

The Huffington Post recently published an article discussing the grueling nature of sports, specifically tennis. With the close of the Australian Open, being the longest Grand Slam Final of all time at a total of 5 hours and 53 minutes, journalist Karthika Muthukumaraswamy notes the grueling nature of the sport and the length of its season. More importantly, however, the writer raves about the talent and game style of several steadily top ranked players. Yet she fails to mention the hard work, determination, and perseverance on the lengthy road that got them there.

Muthukumaraswamy notes, “Nadal and Djokovic, while blessed with enviable endurance and amazing abilities to defend and prolong matches, have effectively threatened the brilliance of mental acuity and shot-making on the fly, exemplified by more cerebral players like Federer and Andy Murray.” I do not to believe that Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were simply “blessed” with such talent. Their abilities were not merely born within; handed to them like some package of luck. Nadal states, “I always try to improve and play better and better…the only thing that is going through my mind now is having enough illusion to keep practicing hard, enough motivation to keep trying my best and to keep finding solutions to be a better player for next year.” Nadal credits his talent and leading success to hard work, resilience, and constant improvement.

Carol Dweck calls this mental state “the mindset of a champion.” She, too, believes that success does not stem solely from natural talent but rather from diligent work and fierce determination. She notes in her writing, “It’s more about the process than about the talent.” I believe Rafael Nadal would agree. Dweck argues that people, especially the media, are too often guilty of revering “the naturals.” It is too frequent that we act as though true champions are born, not made.

Dweck provides numerous examples of those who did not fit the criteria for natural ability, nevertheless rising to the top despite their grim forecast. Consider famous players Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, and most recently Jeremy Lin. Michael Jordan was cut from his varsity basketball team. Practicing his shots for hours, shocking everyone with his resilience and determination, we all know who Jordan turned out to be. It is no streak of luck that Jordan’s courage and dedication took him to the top. Yet the false notion remains, as Dweck notes: “Because now we know he was the greatest basketball player ever, and we think it should have been obvious from the start. When we look at him we see MICHAEL JORDAN. But at that point he was only Michael Jordan.”

It is undeniable that certain players possess different levels of talent. It is hard work and the mindset of a champion, however, that takes true talent to the top. People are not born stars, they become that way. Dweck does an excellent job of opening our eyes to see the real road that got them there. Nadal, Jordan, and many alike do not attribute their talents and success to any sort of physical gift or talent. Rather, they point to their laborious efforts and never fail attitude that continues to drive them along the road to success.  

"ATP - Nadal Talks to Media about Current Form." Tennis World. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. <http://www.tennisworldusa.org/ATP---Nadal-talks-to-media-about-current-form-articolo1777.html>.

Dweck, Carol S. "Chapter 4: Sports, the Mindset of a Champion." Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House, 2006. Print.

Muthukumaraswamy, Karthika. "Professional Tennis Today: A Grueling Season or a Grueling Style?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 02 July 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karthika-muthukumaraswamy/tennis-season_b_1259006.html>.

Jennifer Kellner

Notre Dame 2014

Social Foundations of Coaching

Lessons of Lent, Life, Sports

Today marks the start of the Lenten Season. In the Catholic faith, Lent is often referred to as a journey through towards the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Anyone who has played sports or been the parent or coach of an athlete knows that sports can also be a journey as well. Let us today reflect on some of the lessons learned on the journey of faith and of sport.

Good Faith and Good Sports require Good discipline. Championships are not won in the week leading up to a competition. Enlightenment does not come from nowhere. Jumping higher doesn’t come without practice. Loving relationships do not sustain without ongoing attention. A coach once put a spin on an Emerson quote when he told me “Nothing great was ever accomplished without hard work.” Sports take work. So does parenting. So does faith. Sometimes faith can present more challenges because the path to spiritual growth does not have the same kinds of drills that becoming a better defender does. We must try different approaches for spiritual growth depending on who we are, and what are experiences with faith have been. Just as athletes are asked to submit to a coach’s will without full understanding, sometimes people of faith are called to submit to the will of a higher being, or the advice of a spiritual guide.

Sports and Faith require multi-faceted nourishment. Does a football player spend every day in full pads doing tackling drills? Does a Christian spend her whole life in a meditative state? Does a shortstop only focus on his fielding skills? Is the only job of a parish priest to say mass? Does a distance runner only go for long, slow runs?  Of course not. Just as athletes vary there practice routines to hone their physical skills, we vary our spiritual exercises to nourish our souls. A swimmer must both spend time in the pool and in the weight room. As believers, we must pray and seek community, as they are both part of our spiritual growth. We are also called to be of service to others, and to show our love in the way we carry ourselves. There are no catch-all practices for athletes or for people of faith.

It’s not all go, go, go. No one attends mass all day long. Coaches usually require a day off in the midst of a week of practices, even at the elite level. Participating in service to the poor can often be very exhausting and draining. The human body and soul are not designed for 24/7 activity. For healthy physical and spiritual growth, we must spend time in quiet, restful reflection. This extends beyond merely the proper night’s sleep that we should all get every day. As athletes, we should consider our rest equally as important to our development as our intense workouts. As believers, we must peacefully reflect on the lives we are leading, and not get caught up in the quantity of our good works. In all areas of our life, we must respect a balance of activity and rest to ensure that our discipline is not wasted by exhaustion.

Faith and Athletic life are not always easy. It’s hard to get out of bed when lacrosse practices are going to be brutal before the season starts. Going to religious services can seem pointless at times in our lives. Sprinters can get burned out. God can seem very distant and disconnected from us. As any human will tell you, life is not always easy. Sometimes, we’re just going through the motions of our daily routines, and we’re lucky enough just to make it through. Even if we are enjoying a good life, there are stretches that might be painful, tiring, or seemingly pointless.  In this Lenten season, we are reminded of that painful side of life. Inevitably though, we come out of the mire, and triumph over adversity, and we are thankful that we stuck it out. Whether we are in a job that is unfulfilling, we don’t seem to be improving in our athletic endeavors, or we seem far from spiritual fulfillment, it is in mental, physical, and spiritual endurance that we are able to be renewed!

Sports and Faith are causes for Joy! Scoring a goal is an awesome feeling. Sharing a meal with family and friends is a warm reminder of love and friendship. Winning a championship can be a lifelong memory. Realizing the beauty of creation all around us is a cause for elation. Registering a personal best performance is gratifying. Attending a wedding of friends is an occasion for laughter, fun, and celebration. Although Lent can often be seen as a hard season of what we don’t or can’t have, it can also be a joyful season of what we do have. We have hope for the future! We have the companionship of friends, family and teammates! We have our health! In the Christian tradition we are reminded that we must “Rejoice always!” (1 Thes 5:16) Faith and Sports are reasons for fun, for pleasure, for achievement, for community, and life; live them that way!

From the Notre Dame Alliance for Catholic Education website, Peter Piscitello, of Kansas City, KS talks about the potential for Youth Sport in the Catholic Church:

http://ace.nd.edu/news/in-the-spotlight