🏆 The 4 Stages of Mental Toughness

Mental toughness often separates the good from the great. But how can coaches define, measure, and improve the mental toughness of their athletes?

Author

Greg Berge
July 11, 2024

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💭ONE THOUGHT
The Four Stages of Mental Toughness

Mental toughness often separates the good from the great.

But how can coaches define, measure, and improve their athletes' mental toughness?

Let’s use Martin M. Broadwells's learning model, "the four levels of teaching," to help show the progression of mental toughness.

1. Unconscious Incompetence

At this stage, athletes are unaware of the mental aspects of their performance. They don’t yet understand how their mindset impacts their abilities.

Example: A young basketball player may miss crucial free throws because they don't realize their nerves and negative thoughts affect their performance.

What Coaches Can Do:

  • Education: Introduce the concept of mental toughness and its impact on performance.

  • Awareness Exercises: Use simple exercises like mindfulness or basic visualization to help athletes become aware of their thoughts and emotions during performance.

Check out how Phil Jackson taught the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers Mindfulness.

2. Conscious Incompetence

Here, athletes recognize the importance of mental toughness and its effect on performance.

They see areas for improvement but might struggle to implement effective mental strategies.

Example: A soccer player understands they need to stay focused during penalty kicks but struggles to control their anxiety and pressure at the moment.

What Coaches Can Do:

  • Skill Development: Teach specific mental strategies like breathing techniques, positive self-talk, and goal-setting.

  • Support: Provide regular feedback and encourage athletes as they practice these new skills.

3. Conscious Competence

Athletes have developed mental skills and can apply them to improve performance. However, this requires focused effort and attention.

Example: A tennis player uses visualization and positive self-talk to stay calm and confident during matches, though it requires deliberate concentration.

What Coaches Can Do:

  • Practice Integration: Incorporate mental skills training into regular practice sessions.

  • Routine Building: Help athletes develop pre-performance routines to apply their mental skills consistently.

Dr. Alan Goldberg on the importance of pre-performance routines.

4. Unconscious Competence

Mental toughness becomes second nature. Athletes perform consistently at a high level with confidence and resilience, needing little conscious effort.

Example: An experienced gymnast performs complex routines flawlessly under pressure, with their mental skills so ingrained that they execute without overthinking.

What Coaches Can Do:

  • Maintenance: Encourage athletes to maintain their mental skills through regular practice and reflection.

  • Advanced Techniques: Introduce more advanced mental strategies to enhance performance and resilience.

Summary:

As coaches, guiding athletes through these stages will help them build a more resilient mindset and better achieve their full potential.

  1. Unconscious Incompetence

  2. Conscious Incompetence

  3. Conscious Competence

  4. Unconscious Competence

Good Luck!

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