Feature Mental Game Article
3 Mental Strategies for a Strong Finish During Competition
By Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D.

If you find yourself leading or head to head against your rival, how can you perform your best?

1. Stick to your game plan—the race plan that has helped you win and execute your best race based on your strengths. If you have your best race, that’s all you can control. You can’t control what a competitor does.

2. Focus on effortless speed.  How does effortless and speed work together, you might ask? Good question. This is key for any racer. When you force it and try too hard to go fast, you make more mistakes and work against yourself physically. Motocross racers refer to this as arm pump. Swimmers and runners refer to this as hitting the wall. You have to race at your top speed without expending excess energy.

3. Think strong finish. Just because you have the lead or a chance to win, you don’t want to look over your shoulder to see who is coming behind you. When you are holding onto a lead, you are trying not to get passed. When you focus on a strong finish or increasing your lead, there is no let up.

Want to improve your mental game quickly? The best option is one-on-one personal coaching. Contact Dr. Cohn today to discuss the options to improve your mental game.