The mindset of an athlete has to be the most direct but yet most complex thing to do.  The mindset is to always get better, but continue to get better as well.

If an athlete thinks they have become the best and there is no more “game” to work at, where does development and improvement come in? There needs to be a continuous “want” to get better and never settle for what they have.  Take Derrick Rose from the Bulls for instance. 

In a recent interview a reporter asked Rose what he thought of Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel statement about Rose having, “Allen Iverson’s speed, Chauncey Billups’ shooting, Jason Kid’s vision and Michael Jordan’s athleticism.” 

Rose then responded with words of maturity and ambition, “I didn’t do anything in this league yet. To compare me to those players, I think that I’m not there yet.”  Rose was simply telling the truth, in which he truly believed, which makes him a great competitor.

The best athletes are the athletes that continue to keep on learning and developing, there is no day they go without striving for more.

According to an article done by Sports Psychology Today, “If athletes want to get the most out of their sports performance, it’s critical for them to understand the value of improving their mental game.”

Becoming a great athlete takes great dedication, your whole life to be exact. The amount of focus, motivation, dedication and ambition must overwhelm all other priorities.  To play the game and be the best, there must be a balancing effect.

Everyone must sacrifice something to gain something important to one-self.  The fact is no one wants to sacrifice anything they want or sometimes need. Great athletes sacrifice their bodies all the time. Sometimes athletes sacrifice their body for the wrong reasons and don’t make a conscious mental decision.

In the world of baseball steroids are a growing issue. In a research study done by the American College of Sports Medicine, “steroid use has increased by 27% in college baseball athletes and 54% increase in high school baseball athletes.” Players sacrifice their long-term health for a short time of dominance. This is a different type of sacrifice, a more selfish sacrifice that effects all athletes and fans.

What goes on in an athlete’s mind to choose to take steroids? Does the athlete break under mental pressure? Is the athlete pressured by peers? To answer that question we must ask ourselves as humans why do we cheat?

Humans cheat to gain something more, eventually it’s greed that overtakes the mind and encourages cheating. To be an athlete you have to be mentally strong enough to overcome the urge to cheat.

Not to say making a decision is easy or making the right decision.  Athletes are under pressure to perform well, behave well and be role models.  It’s not just about how physically talented you are or your 40-yard dash time.  It’s also about “what is this guy thinking.” Next time you watch a sporting event while you are trying to understand the physicality of the game and players, try to think about the mentality of each of the players instead.