Mental Toughness: The Competitive Advantage

In his podcast “3 Tips to Improve Mental Toughness in Sports,” performance coach Eli Straw outlines practical ways athletes can sharpen their mindset before competition. His advice is simple, but powerful—and it’s especially relevant for you as a collegiate track & field athlete balancing training, school, and life pressures. Let’s take Eli’s three tips and expand them through the lens of faith and athletics.

1. Remember Your Successes

Visualize your recent highlights— a great long run, an explosive sprint, a clean jump, a strong finish. These vivid pictures reinforce confidence and crowd out self-doubt.

Before you step onto the cross course in Lincoln tomorrow, remind yourself of what you’ve already accomplished. Replay that PR or the way you pushed through fatigue at the last meet.

Joshua 4 tells how Israel set up stones as a memorial of God’s faithfulness. Your past victories—both athletic and spiritual—are “stones” reminding you that you can succeed again.

Olympic sprinter Allyson Felix once said, “I believe that faith is the most important thing. It’s the foundation of everything I do on the track.” Remembering God’s past help fuels courage for today’s race.

2. Step Up the Self-Talk

Write short affirmations like, “I trust my training,” or “I compete aggressively.” “I am fast.”  “I can run Like LARRY!”  Read them before competition to shape your mindset.

In the heat of the meet, your words shape your performance. Instead of saying, “I’m not ready” or “I might choke,” speak truth: “I’m strong. I’ve prepared. I will compete with freedom.”

Paul’s reminder in Philippians 4:13—“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”—isn’t just for game-day posters. It’s a mindset shift. Your strength doesn’t rest solely in you, but in Christ working through you.

Tim Tebow once said, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. But faith makes both hard work and talent meaningful.” Pair your affirmations with faith, and you’ll step on the track with clarity and confidence.

3. Let Your Mind Breath

Mindfulness breathing—five to ten minutes of slow, steady breathing—helps athletes focus on the present, instead of being stuck in past mistakes or future fears.

Before your competition, take a moment to breathe. Inhale peace, exhale distraction. This helps calm nerves and center your mind for peak performance.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Stillness doesn’t make you weaker—it grounds you in God’s presence. Every breath reminds you of His Spirit filling you with strength and calm.

Former NFL coach Tony Dungy put it this way: “The secret to success is good leadership, and good leadership is all about making the lives of your team members better.” Sometimes leadership starts with leading yourself—by slowing down, breathing, and finding calm.

Bringing It All Together

These three tips—visualizing success, practicing self-talk, and mindful breathing—aren’t just game-day hacks. For the Christian athlete, they are disciplines of mental, emotional, and spiritual preparation.

• Visualize: Remember God’s past faithfulness in your races and in your life.
• Self-talk: Speak truths rooted in Scripture and your preparation.
• Breathe: Anchor yourself in God’s presence, trusting Him for the outcome.

Go Get ’em Tomorrow, Shocker Cross Country!

Get Ready to Go Get ’em, Track and Field Athletes!